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: content · fall · net · key · temple · stock · foot · game

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. foot — a measure
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. net — for catching
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. content — the amount
  8. net — in sport
  9. game — wild animals
  10. key — the most important part
  11. content — happy
  12. game — a match
  13. key — for a lock
  14. stock — shares
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. net — after costs
  18. stock — goods
  19. fall — to drop
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. fall — the season
  23. key — in music
  24. fall — to drop

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