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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. file — a document
  3. stock — goods
  4. kick — in football
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. file — a tool
  8. firm — steady
  9. stock — shares
  10. spring — the season
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. pop — music
  16. firm — decided
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. file — a line of people
  21. pop — to visit
  22. spring — a coil
  23. pop — soda
  24. firm — a company

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