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: bowl · bank · stock · mine · kick · lie · bat · rest

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stock — goods
  3. rest — what's left
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. bank — of a river
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bank — for money
  15. bat — the animal
  16. mine — for digging
  17. kick — in football
  18. bank — for money
  19. stock — shares
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bat — for baseball

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