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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. perch — the fish
  3. game — wild animals
  4. stock — shares
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — thin
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. game — a match
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. club — for golf
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. season — in sport
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. stock — goods
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. club — a group
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. season — of the year
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. club — for dancing

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