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: temple · craft · mouse · bound · capital · leaves · stock · rock

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. capital — a city
  4. stock — shares
  5. bound — tied together
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — obliged
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. stock — goods
  14. capital — money
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. craft — boats
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. temple — a place of worship

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