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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. foot — a measure
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stock — shares
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bulb — for light
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. sharp — clever
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rock — music
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. season — in sport
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stock — goods
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. season — to add flavour

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