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 116 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 · staff · dip · deal · pit · perch · scale · stock

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. staff — a stick
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. dip — to sink
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. scale — size or range
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. stock — shares
  15. scale — in music
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. pitch — completely
  18. staff — employees
  19. stock — goods
  20. deal — to handle
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. pit — in a race
  24. deal — an agreement

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