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 120 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 · spell · dip · pop · wax · mouse · stock · spring

  1. The ________________ market has crashed.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — shares
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pop — music
  7. dip — to sink
  8. pop — soda
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. spring — a coil
  12. spring — the season
  13. spell — letters
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. spell — magic
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. spell — a short time
  19. pop — to visit
  20. spring — of water
  21. wax — to grow
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. pitch — completely

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