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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bulb — for light
  3. mark — a grade
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. file — a line of people
  6. mark — a trace
  7. stock — goods
  8. land — to come down
  9. file — a document
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. land — a country
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. land — ground
  21. stock — shares
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. file — a tool

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