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 kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. stock — shares
  4. bound — certain
  5. wound — an injury
  6. suit — clothes
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. game — a match
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. spring — a coil
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — in music
  13. stock — goods
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bound — tied together
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. spring — of water
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. game — wild animals
  20. suit — in cards
  21. spring — the season
  22. bound — obliged
  23. suit — to fit
  24. wave — with your hand

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