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: face · prune · stock · cell · toast · bowl · fine · mug

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. cell — in biology
  4. fine — all right
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. mug — a face
  7. face — part of the head
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. stock — goods
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. face — to confront
  17. mug — to rob
  18. toast — bread
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. fine — high quality
  21. cell — a phone
  22. stock — shares
  23. face — to point toward
  24. mug — a cup

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