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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. mate — to breed
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. mate — a friend
  8. chip — for betting
  9. spring — the season
  10. stock — goods
  11. spring — of water
  12. march — the month
  13. spring — a coil
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. march — the month
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bear — the animal
  21. chip — to eat
  22. march — music
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. pop — music

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