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: board · bass · prune · racket · mark · dip · stock · lie

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. prune — to trim
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bass — the fish
  5. stock — goods
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. dip — to sink
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. prune — to trim
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. mark — a trace
  16. bass — low music
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a committee
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. dip — to dunk

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