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: net · stock · pass · bulb · chest · stand · row · cabinet

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  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. pass — to succeed
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. pass — a permit
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. net — after costs
  9. chest — a box
  10. stand — to bear
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. chest — of your body
  13. stock — goods
  14. net — for catching
  15. stock — shares
  16. bulb — for light
  17. net — in sport
  18. row — a line
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. chest — of your body
  22. row — to paddle
  23. bulb — for light
  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