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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. stock — goods
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. rule — government
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. stock — shares
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. bound — certain
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. bound — obliged
  18. wax — to grow
  19. rock — music
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bound — tied together
  22. chip — for betting
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rock — a stone

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