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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bear — the animal
  3. board — to get on
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. season — of the year
  6. last — to go on
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. pound — a weight
  11. chair — a leader
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. last — finally
  15. stock — goods
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bulb — for light
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bear — the animal
  20. last — final
  21. season — in sport
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. board — a committee

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