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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. stock — goods
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — hurry
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. wake — a trail
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. stock — shares
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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