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: content · kick · rock · bear · ruler · stock · racket · drill

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. bear — the animal
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. content — happy
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. content — the amount
  13. drill — army training
  14. stock — goods
  15. bear — the animal
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. kick — in football
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rock — a stone
  21. stock — shares
  22. drill — the tool
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. drill — a practice

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