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: saw · stock · court · kick · perch · vault · firm · lie

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — goods
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. perch — the fish
  6. stock — shares
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. firm — decided
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. firm — a company
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. lie — to recline
  13. vault — a safe
  14. saw — the tool
  15. firm — steady
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. court — of law
  18. court — for sport
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. kick — in football
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. saw — the tool
  24. court — of a king

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