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: wax · stock · face · mouse · fine · ground · rock · file

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. ground — crushed
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rock — music
  5. wax — to grow
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. face — part of the head
  8. file — a line of people
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. fine — high quality
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. ground — the earth
  13. file — a tool
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. ground — a position
  18. rock — a stone
  19. stock — goods
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. face — to confront
  23. face — to point toward
  24. file — a document

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