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: lash · field · content · stock · bear · shower · swing · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. shower — rain
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. field — farmland
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. swing — in golf
  9. bear — the animal
  10. field — a subject
  11. content — the amount
  12. stock — shares
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. content — happy
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. shower — to wash
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — goods
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — music
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. field — for sport
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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