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 · leaves · bear · stock · club · object · row · arm

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. object — to protest
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. stock — goods
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. club — for dancing
  11. stock — shares
  12. club — for golf
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bear — the animal
  16. row — a line
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. row — to paddle
  19. bear — the animal
  20. object — a thing
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. object — an aim
  24. row — a quarrel

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