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 116 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: sharp · saw · stock · bat · pitch · mark · mate · staff

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. staff — employees
  4. saw — the tool
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. stock — goods
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. stock — shares
  11. mark — a grade
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. staff — employees
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bat — the animal
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mate — a friend
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a partner

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