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 116 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: bay · coach · mug · stock · lie · track · degree · bulb

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mug — a face
  5. track — a path
  6. mug — to rob
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bulb — for light
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. degree — an amount
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. degree — temperature
  15. track — to keep track
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. lie — to recline
  20. stock — shares
  21. track — a song
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. degree — from a university
  24. stock — goods

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