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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. mug — a cup
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. march — music
  10. pit — a hole
  11. mug — a face
  12. stock — shares
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. march — the month
  16. hand — in cards
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. pit — in a race
  20. march — the month
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bulb — for light
  23. hand — help
  24. stock — a soup base

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