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: leaves · firm · mine · stock · ground · lie · rash · fan

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. firm — steady
  6. rash — hasty
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. firm — decided
  11. ground — a position
  12. firm — a company
  13. stock — shares
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rash — a series
  16. ground — crushed
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. ground — the earth
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mine — an explosive

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