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: stock · present · deal · swing · track · ball · bowl · pitch

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. present — the time now
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a song
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. present — there
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. swing — music
  12. present — a gift
  13. pitch — completely
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. deal — to handle
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. swing — to play on
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. stock — goods
  21. track — a path
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. ball — a great time
  24. stock — shares

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