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: rule · wake · pitch · bear · ball · mate · roll · stock

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ball — a dance
  7. wake — a trail
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. stock — goods
  11. roll — a cake
  12. stock — shares
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mate — a partner
  15. pitch — completely
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. ball — a great time
  19. rule — government
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. roll — a list
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — a law
  24. stock — a soup base

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