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: stock · safe · bulb · ball · stick · hand · net · snap

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. stock — goods
  3. bulb — for light
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. snap — to click
  6. net — for catching
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. ball — a great time
  10. net — after costs
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. stock — shares
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ball — a dance
  16. net — in sport
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. hand — in cards
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. hand — help
  23. bulb — for light
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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