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: mark · saw · foot · deal · wax · stock · lie · pop

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. stock — shares
  4. pop — to visit
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. lie — to recline
  9. pop — soda
  10. mark — a trace
  11. saw — the tool
  12. wax — to grow
  13. stock — goods
  14. pop — music
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. saw — the tool
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. deal — to handle
  22. foot — a measure
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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