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: fall · land · stock · sharp · nail · lie · bore · perch

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fall — to drop
  4. perch — the fish
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. land — to come down
  8. fall — to drop
  9. stock — goods
  10. bore — to tire
  11. fall — the season
  12. land — a country
  13. land — ground
  14. bore — to drill
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. lie — to recline
  24. stock — shares

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