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: wave · wake · bore · stock · saw · rest · pitch · club

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wake — a trail
  4. stock — goods
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. saw — the tool
  9. stock — shares
  10. bore — to tire
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. club — for dancing
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bore — to drill
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. club — a group
  19. rest — a break
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. pitch — completely
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. club — for golf

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