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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bore — to tire
  6. mine — for digging
  7. chest — a box
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. bound — certain
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. wax — to grow
  12. bound — obliged
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. stock — goods
  16. bound — tied together
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. stock — shares
  19. chest — of your body
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. bore — to drill
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — out of danger

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