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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. present — a gift
  3. stock — goods
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bound — certain
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. pop — to visit
  8. wake — a trail
  9. pop — soda
  10. bank — for money
  11. bound — obliged
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — for betting
  15. pop — music
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bank — for money
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. present — the time now
  21. stock — shares
  22. bank — of a river
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. present — there

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