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 · pitcher · spell · pass · current · toast · court · chest

  1. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. stock — goods
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. chest — a box
  7. pass — a permit
  8. spell — a short time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. toast — bread
  13. current — electric
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. current — happening now
  16. stock — shares
  17. current — of water
  18. court — of law
  19. court — of a king
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — of your body
  22. court — for sport
  23. spell — magic
  24. spell — letters

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