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: sharp · row · wave · stock · bulb · pass · squash · temple

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. pass — a permit
  4. squash — to crush
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. stock — goods
  8. row — a line
  9. squash — the sport
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. sharp — clever
  16. row — to paddle
  17. bulb — for light
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bulb — for light
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. sharp — exactly

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