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: lie · roll · toast · wake · firm · stock · plane · file

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — goods
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. file — a tool
  7. firm — steady
  8. file — a line of people
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stock — shares
  11. firm — a company
  12. file — a document
  13. toast — bread
  14. firm — decided
  15. roll — a cake
  16. lie — to recline
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. plane — a tool
  19. roll — a list
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. lie — an untruth

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