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: mate · lean · fork · mark · stock · bulb · bass · face

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. stock — shares
  5. face — part of the head
  6. bulb — for light
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. mark — a trace
  12. face — to point toward
  13. mate — a partner
  14. lean — to bend
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mate — to breed
  18. face — to confront
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bass — the fish
  21. mark — a grade
  22. bass — low music
  23. lean — thin
  24. stock — goods

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