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: shower · firm · stock · nail · prune · lash · cue · bear

  1. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. firm — steady
  3. bear — the animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. firm — a company
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bear — the animal
  9. firm — decided
  10. shower — to wash
  11. stock — shares
  12. stock — goods
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. cue — a signal
  17. shower — rain
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. prune — to trim
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. prune — to trim
  24. cue — for pool

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