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: spring · stock · perch · bowl · fine · press · ruler · suit

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — goods
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. suit — to fit
  6. perch — the fish
  7. press — a publisher
  8. spring — a coil
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. fine — high quality
  13. press — newspapers
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. spring — the season
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fine — all right
  19. press — to push
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. spring — of water
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. suit — in cards
  24. ruler — for measuring

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