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 · present · wake · hand · fork · bark · season · cell

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. wake — a trail
  3. fork — in a road
  4. present — a gift
  5. stock — shares
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. cell — a phone
  8. present — the time now
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. season — of the year
  11. stock — goods
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bark — to shout
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. cell — in biology
  18. hand — help
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. present — there
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — to add flavour

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