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: net · toast · pitch · roll · bank · capital · calf · stock

  1. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. capital — money
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bank — for money
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. net — for catching
  10. toast — bread
  11. stock — goods
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. capital — a city
  17. net — in sport
  18. stock — shares
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. net — after costs
  21. roll — a list
  22. pitch — completely
  23. roll — a cake
  24. pitch — a sports field

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