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: shower · fork · perch · rule · file · stock · pass · bowl

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. file — a document
  4. rule — government
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. perch — the fish
  9. stock — goods
  10. fork — in a road
  11. file — a tool
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. shower — rain
  14. file — a line of people
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. stock — shares
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. shower — to wash
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rule — a law

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