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. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. The water is too ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. cold — not warm
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bulb — for light
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. season — in sport
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. season — of the year
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. object — an aim
  13. object — a thing
  14. stock — shares
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. object — to protest
  17. stock — goods
  18. bulb — for light
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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