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: staff · stock · fork · ruler · wind · rash · pass · wave

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. wind — moving air
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. staff — employees
  6. stock — shares
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. pass — a permit
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. wind — moving air
  13. staff — a stick
  14. stock — goods
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. staff — employees
  17. rash — hasty
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. fork — in a road

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