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: club · game · firm · toast · pit · spring · kick · stock

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. spring — a coil
  4. toast — bread
  5. game — a match
  6. pit — in a race
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. spring — the season
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. kick — in football
  12. stock — goods
  13. firm — a company
  14. club — for golf
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. firm — steady
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. game — wild animals
  19. club — for dancing
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. club — a group
  22. stock — shares
  23. firm — decided
  24. pit — a hole

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