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 · fine · stick · craft · foot · pitch · lash · tear

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. craft — boats
  7. tear — to rip
  8. tear — from crying
  9. pitch — completely
  10. stock — goods
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stock — shares
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. fine — high quality
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. tear — from crying
  19. foot — a measure
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. fine — all right
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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