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's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — completely
  3. perch — the fish
  4. stock — goods
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rash — a series
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. chair — a leader
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — government
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bore — to tire
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rash — hasty
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bore — to drill
  23. stock — shares
  24. chair — to sit on

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