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: bear · bay · cabinet · scale · perch · stock · date · coach

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. stock — shares
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. scale — in music
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. perch — the fish
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stock — goods
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. cabinet — ministers

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