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: bulb · lash · fork · cabinet · rush · bat · shower · stock

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. stock — shares
  4. bulb — for light
  5. shower — rain
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. stock — goods
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. shower — to wash
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. rush — hurry
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. fork — in a road
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. bat — for baseball

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