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: bear · nail · sharp · march · net · stock · bulb · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. march — the month
  3. bulb — for light
  4. march — the month
  5. net — for catching
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. stock — shares
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. net — in sport
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bear — the animal
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bulb — for light
  16. march — music
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bear — the animal
  19. net — after costs
  20. stock — goods
  21. craft — boats
  22. sharp — clever
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. bulb — of a plant

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