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: cabinet · field · bay · fan · stock · pit · scale · kick

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. stock — shares
  12. field — farmland
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — for sport
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — in music
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. kick — in football
  23. pit — a hole
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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