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: wax · stock · root · lash · lie · content · ball · present

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. lie — to recline
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. content — happy
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. present — a gift
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. present — there
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. content — the amount
  12. stock — shares
  13. root — of a plant
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. wax — to grow
  17. stock — goods
  18. root — of a word
  19. present — the time now
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. root — the cause
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. ball — a dance

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