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: bore · can · wax · firm · stock · root · mate · cabinet

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. stock — shares
  3. mate — to breed
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. firm — a company
  7. wax — to grow
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bore — to drill
  10. firm — steady
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. can — a tin
  13. stock — goods
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — the cause
  16. can — to be able to
  17. root — of a word
  18. can — a tin
  19. firm — decided
  20. mate — a friend
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bore — to tire
  24. mate — a partner

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