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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. race — humankind
  5. object — an aim
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. pass — a permit
  8. object — to protest
  9. stock — shares
  10. race — the arms race
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — to come from
  13. ball — a great time
  14. stock — goods
  15. fork — in a road
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. object — a thing
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — to wash
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. race — a contest
  24. ball — a dance

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