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 120 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: root · temple · season · lash · club · bore · rush · stock

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bore — to drill
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. season — of the year
  8. root — of a plant
  9. season — in sport
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. root — the cause
  13. rush — hurry
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — for dancing
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. stock — goods
  21. club — a group
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to tire
  24. root — of a word

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