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 120 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: rash · bat · stock · leaves · fork · stick · drill · game

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. drill — army training
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. fork — in a road
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — shares
  8. bat — the animal
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. stock — goods
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. game — wild animals
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. drill — a practice
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — a series
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. rash — hasty
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. game — a match

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