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 ________________ market has crashed.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — a weight
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. net — after costs
  8. board — to get on
  9. stock — goods
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. bulb — for light
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. net — for catching
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. net — in sport
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. board — a committee
  24. ruler — for measuring

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