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: fork · nail · lash · last · stock · bore · fall · deal

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. last — to go on
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stock — shares
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bore — to tire
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. fall — to drop
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. fall — the season
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. stock — goods
  21. last — final
  22. fork — in a road
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bore — to drill

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