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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. last — final
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. last — finally
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bulb — for light
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. ground — crushed
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bear — the animal
  15. stock — shares
  16. last — to go on
  17. ground — the earth
  18. stem — to come from
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. bear — the animal
  21. date — the fruit
  22. ground — a position
  23. stock — goods
  24. ruler — a monarch

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