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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. lean — thin
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. can — a tin
  6. wake — a trail
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bear — the animal
  9. can — to be able to
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bulb — for light
  13. can — a tin
  14. scale — size or range
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stock — goods
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stock — shares
  20. scale — in music
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. face — to confront
  24. wake — before a funeral

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