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: row · stock · toast · dip · mark · lie · roll · court

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. mark — a grade
  3. stock — shares
  4. court — of a king
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stock — goods
  7. lie — to recline
  8. row — to paddle
  9. roll — a cake
  10. toast — bread
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. mark — a trace
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. dip — to sink
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. court — of law
  18. roll — a list
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. court — for sport
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. row — a line

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