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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. hand — in cards
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. hand — help
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rest — what's left
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. rest — a break
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. bulb — for light
  17. prune — to trim
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. rest — what's left
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. stock — shares
  24. wax — to grow

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