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: trunk · bay · mug · cap · stock · rush · pitch · mark

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. mug — a cup
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. mug — a face
  6. cap — a hat
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. cap — a lid
  11. pitch — completely
  12. stock — goods
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mug — to rob
  15. cap — of ice
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. mark — a grade
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. stock — shares
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. rush — a thrill

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