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: hide · bowl · bound · mug · pitcher · stock · spell · wax

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. spell — magic
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. bound — tied together
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — to rob
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. spell — letters
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bound — certain
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bound — obliged
  21. stock — goods
  22. stock — shares
  23. wax — to grow
  24. spell — a short time

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