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: fine · key · stock · pitcher · pit · swing · court · prune

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. prune — to trim
  3. swing — music
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. fine — high quality
  6. court — for sport
  7. pit — a hole
  8. key — in music
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. swing — to play on
  11. court — of law
  12. key — the most important part
  13. court — of a king
  14. pit — in a race
  15. swing — in golf
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — shares
  19. fine — all right
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. prune — to trim
  24. key — for a lock

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