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: chest · wake · pitch · rule · stick · stock · bowl · wave

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. rule — government
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. chest — of your body
  14. stock — shares
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. rule — a law
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. stock — goods
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chest — a box
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bowl — a football final

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