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 · last · sharp · bore · file · stock · current · stick

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. shower — rain
  3. file — a document
  4. current — electric
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bore — to drill
  8. sharp — clever
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. stock — goods
  12. last — to go on
  13. current — happening now
  14. last — finally
  15. bore — to tire
  16. shower — to wash
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. current — of water
  19. file — a tool
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. file — a line of people
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. last — final

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