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 · bark · roll · bowl · stem · lean · stock · jam

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. lean — thin
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. roll — a list
  9. stock — shares
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. stock — goods
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. roll — a cake
  19. stem — to come from
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. bark — to shout
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bore — to tire

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