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 120 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: racket · stock · cap · march · lie · saw · bore · wax

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. march — the month
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. bore — to drill
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cap — a hat
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cap — of ice
  12. march — music
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. saw — the tool
  15. wax — to grow
  16. cap — a lid
  17. lie — to recline
  18. stock — goods
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. march — the month
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bore — to tire
  24. stock — shares

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