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 116 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 · dip · wind · bowl · pop · pit · mug · scale

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. mug — a face
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. mug — a cup
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. stock — goods
  11. pit — a hole
  12. dip — to sink
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. wind — moving air
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. pop — soda
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — in music
  19. pop — music
  20. mug — to rob
  21. scale — size or range
  22. wind — moving air
  23. pit — in a race
  24. stock — shares

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