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 · bowl · tube · nail · present · file · arm · drill

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. file — a document
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. stock — shares
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. drill — the tool
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. tube — a container
  13. drill — a practice
  14. present — there
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. drill — army training
  17. file — a tool
  18. stock — goods
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. file — a line of people
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. present — a gift

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