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: wake · pound · craft · saw · cap · rash · bore · stock

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. rash — hasty
  3. stock — shares
  4. pound — a weight
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. craft — boats
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. craft — a skill
  11. rash — a series
  12. stock — goods
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. cap — of ice
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. cap — a lid
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. bore — to tire
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. wake — a trail
  23. saw — the tool
  24. cap — a hat

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