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: rock · stock · rest · pitch · march · roll · pit · saw

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. pitch — completely
  7. rock — a stone
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. rest — what's left
  10. roll — a list
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stock — goods
  13. march — the month
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. rest — a break
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pit — a hole
  20. stock — shares
  21. saw — the tool
  22. roll — a cake
  23. pit — in a race
  24. saw — the 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