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: face · pound · last · stock · temple · game · squash · bulb

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. stock — goods
  3. game — wild animals
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — part of the head
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. pound — a weight
  9. squash — the sport
  10. last — to go on
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bulb — for light
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. game — a match
  21. face — to confront
  22. last — final
  23. squash — to crush
  24. temple — a place of worship

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