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

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. lean — to bend
  8. rush — hurry
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pass — a permit
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. lean — thin
  21. bore — to tire
  22. bore — to drill
  23. stock — goods
  24. rush — a thrill

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