ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. bank — of a river
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. current — of water
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bank — for money
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stock — goods
  13. current — electric
  14. stock — shares
  15. capital — money
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cap — a lid
  18. current — happening now
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. cap — of ice
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. capital — a city

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com