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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. key — in music
  6. craft — boats
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. stock — goods
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. craft — a skill
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. key — for a lock
  14. stock — shares
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. press — a publisher
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. press — newspapers
  20. hand — in cards
  21. press — to push
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. key — the most important part

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