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 120 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. can — to be able to
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. staff — a stick
  7. can — a tin
  8. stock — goods
  9. bulb — for light
  10. staff — employees
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. stock — shares
  14. mine — for digging
  15. bear — the animal
  16. staff — employees
  17. bulb — for light
  18. can — a tin
  19. cell — a phone
  20. cell — in biology
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bear — the animal
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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