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 120 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mine · pit · stick · pop · stand · stock · firm · coach

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pop — to visit
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. firm — steady
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. firm — a company
  11. pop — music
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — shares
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. pop — soda
  17. pit — in a race
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. firm — decided
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pit — a hole
  23. mine — for digging
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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