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: plane · stick · stock · lean · date · leaves · lash · rest

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — a tool
  3. date — the fruit
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rest — what's left
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. rest — what's left
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. rest — a break
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. stock — shares
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. stock — goods
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. lean — thin
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. lean — to bend

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