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 · last · net · chip · toast · stock · stand · rule

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. last — to go on
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. net — after costs
  5. rest — a break
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rest — what's left
  8. toast — bread
  9. rule — a law
  10. last — final
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. chip — for betting
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. last — finally
  16. net — for catching
  17. stock — shares
  18. stock — goods
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. rule — government
  22. net — in sport
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stand — on your feet

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