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 · stem · bound · cap · bulb · lean · foot · pitch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bound — tied together
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. cap — a hat
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — certain
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. lean — to bend
  14. foot — a measure
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stock — shares
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. pitch — completely
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stock — goods
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. stem — to come from
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. lean — thin

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