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: wave · stick · season · saw · current · stock · ball · drill

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. season — of the year
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. current — happening now
  6. stock — goods
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. saw — the tool
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — a practice
  13. saw — the tool
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. season — in sport
  17. stock — shares
  18. ball — a great time
  19. current — of water
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. current — electric
  22. ball — a dance
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. ball — a round shape

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