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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. game — a match
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. stock — goods
  7. stock — shares
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. can — a tin
  10. ball — a great time
  11. spell — letters
  12. roll — a cake
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pitch — completely
  16. spell — magic
  17. game — wild animals
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. spell — a short time
  23. roll — a list
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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