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: foot · stock · can · lie · straw · degree · lean · roll

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stock — goods
  3. can — a tin
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. can — a tin
  6. lean — to bend
  7. stock — shares
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. degree — an amount
  10. lean — thin
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. lie — to recline
  13. foot — a measure
  14. roll — a cake
  15. degree — temperature
  16. degree — from a university
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. can — to be able to
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. roll — a list
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. straw — a straw man

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