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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — shares
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. key — in music
  9. wax — to grow
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. bark — to shout
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. pound — a weight
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bulb — for light
  16. squash — the sport
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. squash — to crush

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