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

Word bank: field · mouse · safe · bear · row · wound · lie · stock

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bear — the animal
  10. row — to paddle
  11. field — a subject
  12. wound — an injury
  13. field — for sport
  14. stock — shares
  15. row — a line
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. stock — goods
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. field — farmland
  21. bear — the animal
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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