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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for dancing
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. track — a song
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. track — to keep track
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stock — shares
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. club — for golf
  13. track — a path
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. wax — to grow
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — to come from
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. stock — goods
  24. cabinet — ministers

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