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: court · stock · arm · lie · charge · vault · mug · rest

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. court — for sport
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. court — of law
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. court — of a king
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — in control
  11. rest — what's left
  12. charge — a price
  13. mug — a face
  14. stock — shares
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — a safe
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. mug — to rob
  21. stock — goods
  22. mug — a cup
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. arm — part of the body

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