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 · rock · rush · stock · coach · fall · saw · fork

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pitch — completely
  4. fall — to drop
  5. stock — goods
  6. stock — shares
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. saw — the tool
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rock — a stone
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fall — the season
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rock — music
  19. fork — in a road
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. coach — a trainer

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