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 116 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. season — of the year
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. capital — a city
  6. club — for dancing
  7. stock — shares
  8. season — in sport
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. club — for golf
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. capital — money
  13. march — the month
  14. stock — goods
  15. pitch — completely
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. march — music
  19. club — a group
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. march — the month
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pitch — a sports field

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