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: stock · fine · mouse · leaves · chair · object · pitch · season

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. chair — a leader
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. object — a thing
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. season — of the year
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. season — in sport
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. fine — all right
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. stock — goods
  17. pitch — completely
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. stock — shares
  22. fine — high quality
  23. object — to protest
  24. chair — to sit on

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