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: bulb · ground · bowl · stock · bank · bore · object · row

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bank — for money
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — the earth
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — a thing
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bore — to tire
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bank — for money
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. stock — shares
  15. stock — goods
  16. row — to paddle
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bore — to drill
  19. object — to protest
  20. row — a line
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bowl — to roll

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