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: rash · roll · bowl · toast · bulb · stock · temple · straw

  1. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. stock — goods
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. roll — a list
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. bulb — for light
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. rash — a series
  16. roll — a cake
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. stock — shares
  23. rash — hasty
  24. bowl — to roll

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