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

Word bank: stock · board · net · race · foot · chip · pit · root

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. race — humankind
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. net — in sport
  6. stock — shares
  7. root — of a plant
  8. chip — to eat
  9. race — the arms race
  10. race — a contest
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. chip — for betting
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. pit — in a race
  15. root — the cause
  16. stock — goods
  17. net — for catching
  18. board — to get on
  19. net — after costs
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. foot — a measure
  23. root — of a word
  24. board — a committee

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