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: fork · racket · stock · rest · saw · content · race · fan

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. fork — in a road
  4. content — happy
  5. race — a contest
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. content — the amount
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. rest — what's left
  10. race — humankind
  11. race — the arms race
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. saw — the tool
  14. stock — shares
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rest — a break
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. stock — goods
  23. rest — what's left
  24. fork — a garden tool

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