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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pit — in a race
  4. stock — shares
  5. cell — a phone
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. mark — a trace
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. cell — in biology
  18. mark — a grade
  19. rush — hurry
  20. stock — goods
  21. pit — a hole
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. stock — a soup base

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