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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. stock — shares
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. charge — electricity
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. ball — a great time
  9. stock — goods
  10. shower — to wash
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. fall — to drop
  13. charge — in control
  14. bear — the animal
  15. shower — rain
  16. fall — to drop
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ball — a dance
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. scale — size or range
  23. fall — the season
  24. charge — a price

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