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: plane · stock · bank · pit · march · hide · ground · board

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. march — music
  4. march — the month
  5. march — the month
  6. board — to get on
  7. stock — shares
  8. board — a committee
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. bank — for money
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. ground — the earth
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bank — for money
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. ground — a position
  18. ground — crushed
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bank — of a river
  21. pit — a hole
  22. stock — goods
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — a tool

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