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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. row — to paddle
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bulb — for light
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. deal — to handle
  10. row — a line
  11. field — for sport
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. field — farmland
  14. fall — to drop
  15. sharp — clever
  16. stock — goods
  17. stock — shares
  18. fall — to drop
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. fall — the season
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. field — a subject

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