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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. board — a committee
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. stock — shares
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. root — of a plant
  9. root — the cause
  10. scale — size or range
  11. season — in sport
  12. root — of a word
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. scale — in music
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. board — to get on
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. stock — goods
  22. season — of the year
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. board — a flat piece

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