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: season · arm · pit · track · swing · stock · object · ball

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. stock — goods
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. object — an aim
  5. pit — in a race
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. season — in sport
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — music
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. ball — a great time
  14. ball — a dance
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. swing — to play on
  17. track — a path
  18. object — a thing
  19. season — of the year
  20. stock — shares
  21. object — to protest
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a song
  24. pit — a hole

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