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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. stock — shares
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. mine — for digging
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. toast — bread
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. ball — a dance
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. stock — goods
  20. branch — a division
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. bulb — for light
  24. arm — part of the body

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