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 supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. mate — a friend
  3. pitch — completely
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. mate — a partner
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. charge — a price
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. vault — a safe
  12. stock — shares
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. charge — electricity
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. charge — in control
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. mate — to breed
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. stand — to bear

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