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: dip · can · stand · pound · stock · bulb · calf · tear

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. tear — to rip
  3. stock — shares
  4. bulb — for light
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bulb — for light
  8. pound — a weight
  9. tear — from crying
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. can — a tin
  12. stock — goods
  13. can — to be able to
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. can — a tin
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. tear — from crying
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. dip — to sink
  24. stand — on your feet

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