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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. deal — to handle
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. prune — to trim
  8. stock — goods
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. prune — to trim
  11. field — farmland
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. bulb — for light
  15. pound — a weight
  16. field — for sport
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bulb — for light
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. field — a subject
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — shares
  24. bulb — of a plant

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