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: bulb · calf · stick · pop · stock · spring · mouse · fork

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. stock — shares
  3. fork — in a road
  4. stock — goods
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. spring — a coil
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. spring — the season
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. pop — music
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. spring — of water
  23. pop — soda
  24. mouse — the animal

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