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: stock · sharp · pit · swing · ruler · object · fine · saw

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. sharp — clever
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. swing — to play on
  5. fine — all right
  6. stock — goods
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. fine — high quality
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. swing — in golf
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. object — to protest
  15. saw — the tool
  16. swing — music
  17. object — a thing
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a hole
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. stock — shares
  24. stock — a soup base

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