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: wound · fine · pitcher · lean · fan · bowl · cap · stock

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. cap — a lid
  3. wound — an injury
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. lean — thin
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. fine — high quality
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. cap — of ice
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. stock — shares
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. stock — goods
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. fine — all right
  21. cap — a hat
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wound — an injury

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