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: stock · shower · current · club · drill · scale · patient · rush

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  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. shower — rain
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. stock — goods
  6. drill — army training
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. club — for golf
  9. scale — size or range
  10. club — for dancing
  11. scale — in music
  12. current — happening now
  13. club — a group
  14. drill — the tool
  15. stock — shares
  16. current — of water
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — hurry
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. shower — to wash
  22. current — electric
  23. rush — to hurry
  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