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: stand · stem · mark · drill · pit · game · pitcher · fork

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. stem — to come from
  8. drill — a practice
  9. drill — the tool
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. game — wild animals
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a trace
  15. stand — to bear
  16. fork — in a road
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. game — a match
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. drill — army training
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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