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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. stock — goods
  3. spring — the season
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — a face
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. spring — of water
  13. foot — a measure
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. drill — the tool
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. craft — a skill
  18. spring — a coil
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. stock — shares
  22. mug — to rob
  23. craft — boats
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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