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: rest · dip · board · nail · lean · wound · pop · stock

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — an injury
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. rest — what's left
  8. stock — shares
  9. board — to get on
  10. pop — to visit
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. rest — a break
  13. lean — to bend
  14. dip — to sink
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pop — soda
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. lean — thin
  20. pop — music
  21. stock — goods
  22. board — a committee
  23. rest — what's left
  24. nail — for a hammer

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