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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. race — humankind
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. race — the arms race
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. club — for golf
  11. race — a contest
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. stock — goods
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — a group
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bass — low music
  18. bore — to tire
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. bass — the fish
  21. stem — to come from
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stock — shares
  24. sharp — clever

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