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 116 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: bore · club · fine · track · stock · wave · racket · fall

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fall — to drop
  3. track — a song
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. fine — high quality
  6. club — for dancing
  7. stock — goods
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fall — the season
  11. bore — to tire
  12. fall — to drop
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. club — for golf
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. track — to keep track
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. club — a group
  20. bore — to drill
  21. track — a path
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. stock — shares
  24. racket — for tennis

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