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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. face — to point toward
  6. key — in music
  7. race — humankind
  8. stock — shares
  9. face — to confront
  10. pitch — completely
  11. bass — the fish
  12. race — a contest
  13. stock — goods
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. key — the most important part
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. key — for a lock
  23. race — the arms race
  24. face — part of the head

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