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 116 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: stock · file · craft · bowl · wake · firm · bore · bulb

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a skill
  4. file — a line of people
  5. stock — shares
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. firm — steady
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. file — a tool
  12. file — a document
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. firm — decided
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. wake — a trail
  20. firm — a company
  21. stock — goods
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. craft — a handicraft

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