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: shower · calf · row · charge · stock · court · mouse · rash

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. stock — shares
  3. rash — a series
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. row — a line
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. court — for sport
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. row — to paddle
  16. court — of a king
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. shower — to wash
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. stock — goods
  21. shower — rain
  22. court — of law
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — hasty

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