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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. stock — shares
  5. mark — a grade
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. stock — goods
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. rush — hurry
  10. object — an aim
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. bulb — for light
  15. object — a thing
  16. bulb — for light
  17. dip — to sink
  18. date — the fruit
  19. mark — a trace
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. object — to protest
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. kick — in football

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