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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. craft — boats
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. ground — crushed
  5. suit — to fit
  6. shower — to wash
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bear — the animal
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. bore — to tire
  11. ground — a position
  12. stock — shares
  13. craft — a skill
  14. shower — rain
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bore — to drill
  17. stock — goods
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. suit — in cards
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bear — the animal
  22. ground — the earth
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. stock — a soup base

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