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: content · wake · stock · saw · hide · bear · season · rash

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. stock — goods
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. rash — a series
  6. bear — the animal
  7. content — the amount
  8. season — of the year
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. season — in sport
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wake — a trail
  13. rash — hasty
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. stock — shares
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bear — the animal
  19. content — happy
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. hide — animal skin

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