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: bowl · press · stock · rock · shower · scale · bay · net

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. stock — goods
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. scale — in music
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stock — shares
  7. net — for catching
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. shower — rain
  11. scale — size or range
  12. shower — to wash
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. press — a publisher
  15. press — newspapers
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. press — to push
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. rock — music
  24. net — in sport

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