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 116 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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. season — of the year
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. rush — hurry
  6. fall — to drop
  7. season — in sport
  8. fork — in a road
  9. bulb — for light
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — the season
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. stock — shares
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. board — to get on
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. board — a committee
  24. season — to add flavour

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