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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. current — happening now
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. stock — shares
  8. current — of water
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. stock — goods
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. rule — government
  14. roll — a list
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. roll — a cake
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bore — to tire
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. date — the fruit
  23. current — electric
  24. bore — to drill

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