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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. charge — a price
  3. bulb — for light
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. row — to paddle
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. march — music
  11. stock — shares
  12. bark — to shout
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — electricity
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. march — the month
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. row — a line
  24. stock — goods

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