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: chip · mate · game · bass · tear · stock · bulb · rock

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. rock — a stone
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — goods
  5. bass — low music
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. game — a match
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. mate — a partner
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. chip — to eat
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. tear — from crying
  15. game — wild animals
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bass — the fish
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a friend
  23. rock — music
  24. tear — to rip

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