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: field · stock · object · rock · wound · perch · wax · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. field — farmland
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stock — goods
  7. wound — an injury
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. field — a subject
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. wax — to grow
  12. rock — a stone
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — to protest
  16. perch — the fish
  17. pitch — completely
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — shares
  20. wound — an injury
  21. field — for sport
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. rock — music

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