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 · calf · ball · stock · toast · mark · leaves · fan

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. ball — a dance
  8. toast — bread
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. stock — goods
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. mark — a trace
  17. stock — shares
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. mark — a grade
  23. ball — a great time
  24. bulb — for light

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