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. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fall — to drop
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — a box
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. chest — of your body
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. fall — to drop
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. fork — in a road
  13. stock — goods
  14. fall — the season
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bear — the animal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stand — to bear

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