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: fan · pass · stick · kid · stock · net · pit · land

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — a permit
  6. stock — goods
  7. land — to come down
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. land — ground
  10. stock — shares
  11. kid — to tease
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. net — for catching
  15. net — after costs
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. kid — child
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. land — a country
  24. net — in sport

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