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: pitch · stick · stock · rock · row · present · snap · object

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. row — to paddle
  3. object — to protest
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. present — the time now
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — completely
  9. object — an aim
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. present — there
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. rock — music
  15. stock — goods
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — a line
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. rock — a stone
  22. present — a gift
  23. snap — to click
  24. object — a thing

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