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. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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. lie — to recline
  4. stock — goods
  5. season — of the year
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. bulb — for light
  9. content — happy
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. board — a committee
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. stock — shares
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. content — the amount
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. season — in sport
  21. board — to get on
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chair — a leader

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