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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. cap — a lid
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. cap — of ice
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. pop — music
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. toast — bread
  12. pop — soda
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pop — to visit
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. cap — a hat
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. foot — a measure
  22. scale — in music
  23. stock — goods
  24. leaves — of a tree

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