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: bore · jam · shower · rush · bank · race · kick · stock

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. stock — shares
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bank — for money
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bank — of a river
  9. stock — goods
  10. race — a contest
  11. rush — hurry
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bore — to tire
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. shower — to wash
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. kick — in football
  20. race — humankind
  21. shower — rain
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bank — for money

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