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 116 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: mate · lean · root · wax · net · swing · lie · stock

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. root — of a word
  3. root — the cause
  4. net — in sport
  5. mate — a friend
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. mate — to breed
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. swing — in golf
  11. root — of a plant
  12. lean — thin
  13. stock — shares
  14. swing — to play on
  15. mate — a partner
  16. net — after costs
  17. lean — to bend
  18. net — for catching
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. swing — music
  23. wax — to grow
  24. lie — to recline

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