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: stock · fork · march · arm · bulb · wake · leaves · safe

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. stock — goods
  6. march — the month
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. bulb — for light
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. wake — a trail
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. march — the month
  18. fork — in a road
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. stock — shares
  23. march — music
  24. safe — out of danger

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