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: pitch · net · ruler · band · fan · craft · board · stock

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. net — for catching
  6. craft — boats
  7. band — a ring
  8. band — a music group
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stock — goods
  14. net — after costs
  15. net — in sport
  16. board — a committee
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. craft — a skill
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. stock — shares
  24. pitch — completely

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