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 · mine · lie · bowl · stand · pit · swing · suit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — to fit
  4. swing — to play on
  5. stock — shares
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. lie — to recline
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mine — for digging
  16. swing — in golf
  17. pit — a hole
  18. swing — music
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. stock — goods
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bowl — a dish

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