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: shower · bore · toast · temple · rush · fork · perch · stock

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. toast — bread
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bore — to tire
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. fork — in a road
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. shower — rain
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. shower — to wash
  22. rush — hurry
  23. stock — goods
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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