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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. can — to be able to
  3. press — to push
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. spring — of water
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. tube — the underground
  12. spring — the season
  13. stock — shares
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. can — a tin
  16. shower — rain
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. can — a tin
  19. tube — a container
  20. spring — a coil
  21. press — a publisher
  22. shower — to wash
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. press — newspapers

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