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: rock · game · court · stock · stem · snap · pit · track

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. pit — in a race
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. court — of law
  6. stock — goods
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. game — a match
  9. track — a path
  10. court — of a king
  11. rock — a stone
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. stem — to come from
  14. pit — a hole
  15. rock — music
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. stock — shares
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. game — wild animals
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. snap — to click
  23. track — to keep track
  24. court — for 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