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: pitch · fan · current · stock · snap · pound · cell · deal

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — of water
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. current — electric
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. snap — to click
  13. pound — a weight
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. stock — shares
  16. cell — in biology
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. cell — a phone
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. stock — goods
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. deal — to handle
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. deal — a big deal

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