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: chip · stock · bore · pound · ball · rush · craft · prune

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bore — to tire
  3. chip — for betting
  4. stock — goods
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. ball — a great time
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pound — a weight
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. rush — hurry
  18. craft — boats
  19. ball — a dance
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bore — to drill
  22. stock — shares
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rush — a thrill

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