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: sharp · firm · bank · chest · stock · board · land · bore

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. stock — shares
  3. firm — a company
  4. stock — goods
  5. bank — for money
  6. bank — for money
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a committee
  10. land — ground
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. bore — to tire
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. sharp — clever
  17. bank — of a river
  18. chest — of your body
  19. firm — steady
  20. chest — a box
  21. bore — to drill
  22. chest — of your body
  23. firm — decided
  24. land — to come down

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