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: bay · firm · present · lash · fan · pitch · stock · wax

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. firm — steady
  3. present — a gift
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. present — there
  9. pitch — completely
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. firm — decided
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. stock — shares
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. wax — to grow
  17. present — the time now
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. firm — a company
  23. stock — goods
  24. wax — in the ear

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