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 120 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: coach · cabinet · pit · kick · hand · stock · firm · swing

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. stock — goods
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. swing — music
  6. firm — decided
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. hand — in cards
  9. stock — shares
  10. pit — a hole
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. swing — in golf
  16. kick — in football
  17. firm — steady
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. hand — help
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. swing — to play on
  24. firm — a company

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