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 116 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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. wound — an injury
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. rock — music
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. wound — an injury
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. drill — army training
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — a permit
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. drill — a practice
  22. drill — the tool
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — shares

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