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

Word bank: hand · bore · bark · sharp · net · file · lean · stock

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. hand — in cards
  5. stock — goods
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. file — a tool
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. sharp — clever
  11. file — a document
  12. net — after costs
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lean — thin
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — shares
  19. net — for catching
  20. hand — help
  21. lean — to bend
  22. net — in sport
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — to drill

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