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: wake · wound · deal · hide · racket · stock · drill · mate

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. drill — the tool
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. drill — a practice
  10. deal — to handle
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a partner
  18. stock — shares
  19. drill — army training
  20. mate — a friend
  21. wound — an injury
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. wake — a trail

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