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 116 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. rush — hurry
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. pitch — completely
  12. staff — employees
  13. stock — goods
  14. file — a document
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. stock — shares
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. staff — employees
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bear — the animal

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