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: content · pitch · stock · plane · bulb · court · board · hand

  1. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. stock — goods
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. stock — shares
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. pitch — completely
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. board — a committee
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. court — of law
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. court — for sport
  17. hand — help
  18. bulb — for light
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. board — to get on
  21. content — happy
  22. court — of a king
  23. hand — in cards
  24. content — the amount

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