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: race · stock · rule · sharp · snap · lash · cabinet · pitch

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. pitch — completely
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. stock — goods
  7. race — a contest
  8. race — the arms race
  9. race — humankind
  10. snap — to click
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. rule — government
  14. stock — shares
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. rule — a law
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. sharp — clever
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. stock — a soup base

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