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 120 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: racket · squash · file · calf · lean · stock · staff · lie

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. file — a tool
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. lie — to recline
  7. staff — employees
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the sport
  10. file — a document
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. stock — goods
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. file — a line of people
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. lean — thin
  18. stock — shares
  19. staff — employees
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. lean — to bend
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lean — to rest against

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