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: stock · toast · band · chest · safe · bore · lean · march

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. stock — goods
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. bore — to tire
  7. march — the month
  8. bore — to drill
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. march — the month
  12. lean — to bend
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. chest — of your body
  16. toast — bread
  17. lean — thin
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. chest — a box
  20. band — a ring
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. stock — shares
  23. march — music
  24. band — a music group

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