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 120 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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  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. spring — the season
  2. court — of a king
  3. stock — goods
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. mug — a face
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. chip — for betting
  8. mug — a cup
  9. court — of law
  10. chip — to eat
  11. bulb — for light
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. mug — to rob
  14. court — for sport
  15. spring — a coil
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — size or range
  18. scale — in music
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. stock — shares
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. spring — of water
  23. bulb — for light
  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