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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. kick — in football
  4. bank — for money
  5. stock — shares
  6. club — for dancing
  7. game — a match
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — the season
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. fall — to drop
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bank — for money
  15. club — for golf
  16. bore — to drill
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. bore — to tire
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. game — wild animals
  21. club — a group
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stock — goods
  24. bank — of a river

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