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: ball · stock · lean · bulb · hide · fall · charge · sharp

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. charge — electricity
  4. stock — goods
  5. lean — thin
  6. ball — a great time
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — clever
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. charge — a price
  11. stock — shares
  12. fall — the season
  13. bulb — for light
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. lean — to bend
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. charge — in control
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. sharp — exactly

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