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: fork · degree · stock · safe · shower · pitch · staff · club

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. staff — a stick
  3. degree — temperature
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — a group
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. club — for golf
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. shower — to wash
  11. staff — employees
  12. stock — goods
  13. degree — from a university
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. stock — shares
  19. degree — an amount
  20. pitch — completely
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. shower — rain
  24. staff — employees

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