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 · fork · mine · toast · net · swing · ball · drill

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. fork — in a road
  4. stock — goods
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. swing — to play on
  7. ball — a great time
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. drill — the tool
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. toast — bread
  13. swing — in golf
  14. stock — shares
  15. mine — for digging
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — for catching
  18. drill — a practice
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. ball — a dance
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. swing — music
  24. drill — army training

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