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: jam · lean · track · fine · net · stock · fork · face

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. track — a song
  3. net — in sport
  4. net — after costs
  5. fine — high quality
  6. face — to point toward
  7. face — part of the head
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. fork — in a road
  10. face — to confront
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. track — to keep track
  13. net — for catching
  14. fine — all right
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. track — a path
  17. stock — shares
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. lean — to bend
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. lean — thin
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. stock — goods
  24. fine — a penalty

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