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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. chest — of your body
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. pop — music
  7. mug — a cup
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. capital — money
  12. pop — to visit
  13. mug — to rob
  14. chest — of your body
  15. pop — soda
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mug — a face
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. capital — a city
  21. stock — goods
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. chest — a box
  24. stock — shares

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