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: bore · pop · face · pitch · staff · stock · pit · patient

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. stock — shares
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pop — to visit
  5. face — to confront
  6. staff — employees
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. staff — employees
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. staff — a stick
  14. face — to point toward
  15. stock — goods
  16. bore — to tire
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. pop — music
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. face — part of the head
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pop — soda

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