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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bulb — for light
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bear — the animal
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bulb — for light
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. tube — the underground
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bear — the animal
  15. squash — the sport
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. date — the fruit
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. tube — a container
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stock — shares
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. stock — goods
  24. mouse — the animal

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