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 · ground · prune · fine · stick · bat · cabinet · field

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. ground — a position
  4. ground — the earth
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. prune — to trim
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. fine — all right
  9. ground — crushed
  10. stock — shares
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. field — for sport
  15. prune — to trim
  16. field — farmland
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bat — the animal
  19. field — a subject
  20. stock — goods
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fine — high quality
  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