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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. firm — decided
  5. pitch — completely
  6. firm — a company
  7. shower — rain
  8. stock — shares
  9. roll — a cake
  10. stock — goods
  11. mug — a cup
  12. mug — a face
  13. shower — to wash
  14. chest — a box
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. mug — to rob
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. chest — of your body
  19. firm — steady
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. roll — a list
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. pass — a permit

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