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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: scale · face · row · craft · wind · stock · bulb · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. stock — shares
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. face — to point toward
  6. row — a line
  7. stock — goods
  8. craft — boats
  9. wind — moving air
  10. craft — a skill
  11. chip — for betting
  12. wind — moving air
  13. scale — size or range
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. bulb — for light
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — in music
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — part of the head
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. bulb — for light

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