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: stock · bulb · prune · perch · dip · bay · firm · bear

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. bulb — for light
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bear — the animal
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stock — shares
  12. bear — the animal
  13. firm — decided
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. stock — goods
  17. firm — a company
  18. perch — the fish
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. firm — steady
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. perch — for a bird

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