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 120 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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — to tire
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. firm — steady
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. firm — decided
  12. stock — shares
  13. lean — thin
  14. stock — goods
  15. cap — a lid
  16. mine — for digging
  17. cap — a hat
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. firm — a company
  20. cap — of ice
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. lean — to bend
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. bore — gave birth

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