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 116 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. stock — shares
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — for dancing
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bank — of a river
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bank — for money
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pitch — completely
  15. stock — goods
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bank — for money
  19. capital — a city
  20. club — a group
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. capital — money
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. ruler — for measuring

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