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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. race — a contest
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. land — a country
  6. race — the arms race
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. bass — low music
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. land — to come down
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bulb — for light
  17. face — to point toward
  18. mark — a trace
  19. race — humankind
  20. bulb — for light
  21. land — ground
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. face — to confront
  24. mark — a grade

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