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 116 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: charge · lean · scale · board · stock · bulb · face · fall

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. bulb — for light
  3. charge — a price
  4. stock — goods
  5. scale — size or range
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — to drop
  11. scale — in music
  12. face — to confront
  13. charge — electricity
  14. lean — thin
  15. board — a committee
  16. bulb — for light
  17. face — part of the head
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. lean — to bend
  20. face — to point toward
  21. fall — the season
  22. charge — in control
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. board — to get on

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