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: lash · plane · fork · bound · land · lie · wax · stock

  1. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — in geometry
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — tied together
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — shares
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — ground
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. stock — goods
  13. land — a country
  14. fork — in a road
  15. bound — obliged
  16. plane — a tool
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. lie — to recline
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. wax — to grow
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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