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: arm · present · tear · capital · pit · kick · stick · stock

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stock — goods
  3. tear — from crying
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. tear — from crying
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. present — the time now
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. kick — in football
  16. tear — to rip
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. present — there
  19. capital — a city
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. pit — a hole
  22. stock — shares
  23. capital — money
  24. present — a gift

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