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: file · stock · craft · prune · deal · leaves · patient · pitch

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. file — a tool
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. prune — to trim
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. craft — boats
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. deal — to handle
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. file — a line of people
  20. prune — to trim
  21. stock — goods
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. craft — a skill
  24. file — a document

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