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: pound · spring · deal · hide · saw · shower · straw · stock

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. shower — rain
  4. pound — a weight
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. spring — the season
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. shower — to wash
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. spring — a coil
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. deal — to handle
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. saw — the tool
  17. spring — of water
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. stock — goods

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