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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. rock — music
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. degree — an amount
  10. pound — a weight
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. degree — temperature
  13. stock — shares
  14. stock — goods
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. rock — a stone
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. degree — from a university
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. pound — for dogs

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