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 120 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 · face · wind · stock · season · chip · tube · pitch

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. face — to confront
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. season — of the year
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. wind — moving air
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — to eat
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pitch — completely
  12. stock — shares
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. wind — moving air
  16. tube — the underground
  17. stock — goods
  18. face — to point toward
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. tube — a container
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. face — part of the head
  24. season — in sport

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