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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bound — tied together
  4. stock — goods
  5. bound — certain
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. stock — shares
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — an injury
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. mouse — for a computer

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