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 · spell · bowl · bulb · face · mug · roll · wave

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. mug — to rob
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. roll — a cake
  7. mug — a face
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. stock — goods
  10. spell — magic
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. face — part of the head
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — for light
  15. face — to point toward
  16. stock — shares
  17. mug — a cup
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. spell — letters
  21. face — to confront
  22. roll — a list
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. spell — a short time

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