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: lie · rash · chip · leaves · object · bat · content · stock

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bat — the animal
  4. content — the amount
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. object — a thing
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. stock — goods
  11. rash — a series
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. stock — shares
  14. chip — to eat
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. lie — to recline
  19. object — to protest
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — for betting
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. object — an aim
  24. content — happy

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