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: stock · staff · arm · pit · chair · safe · season · prune

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. pit — a hole
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. staff — employees
  5. chair — a leader
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. staff — a stick
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. season — in sport
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. prune — to trim
  14. staff — employees
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stock — shares
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. prune — to trim
  22. season — of the year
  23. pit — in a race
  24. stock — goods

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