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: toast · stock · bat · roll · pit · perch · mug · pitch

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. mug — to rob
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. pit — in a race
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. bat — the animal
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. stock — shares
  18. mug — a face
  19. toast — bread
  20. perch — the fish
  21. pit — a hole
  22. roll — a list
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. mug — a cup

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