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: rest · file · stock · fall · cabinet · spring · safe · bowl

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — goods
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. file — a line of people
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. rest — a break
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. file — a tool
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. file — a document
  18. spring — of water
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. spring — the season
  21. rest — what's left
  22. fall — the season
  23. fall — to drop
  24. fall — to drop

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