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 120 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: rock · arm · wake · bound · saw · march · stock · bulb

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bound — tied together
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stock — shares
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. march — music
  13. wake — a trail
  14. rock — music
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. rock — a stone
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bulb — for light
  20. march — the month
  21. march — the month
  22. bound — obliged
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. bound — certain

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