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 120 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: rock · leaves · mine · bat · stock · bass · bulb · nail

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. mine — for digging
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — shares
  7. bass — low music
  8. rock — a stone
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — music
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bat — the animal
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. leaves — to go away

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