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: charge · bat · stock · court · racket · spring · bore · suit

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. court — for sport
  3. suit — to fit
  4. stock — goods
  5. spring — the season
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. spring — a coil
  8. bore — to tire
  9. spring — of water
  10. stock — shares
  11. court — of a king
  12. charge — a price
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. charge — in control
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. charge — electricity
  19. suit — in cards
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. suit — clothes
  24. court — of law

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