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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. saw — the tool
  3. ground — a position
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. band — a music group
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stock — shares
  10. saw — the tool
  11. band — a ring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ground — the earth
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stock — goods
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. foot — a measure
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. row — a line
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. row — to paddle
  23. ground — crushed
  24. stock — a soup base

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