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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: spell · wave · toast · bore · fork · stock · net · cap

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  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. bore — to tire
  2. stock — goods
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. spell — a short time
  5. net — after costs
  6. fork — in a road
  7. net — in sport
  8. stock — shares
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. spell — magic
  11. spell — letters
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. cap — a lid
  14. bore — to drill
  15. cap — a hat
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. net — for catching
  18. toast — bread
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. cap — of ice
  23. fork — to eat with
  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