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 116 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: bat · suit · spring · stock · pitch · fan · staff · bound

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The ________________ market has crashed.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. stock — shares
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pitch — completely
  8. stock — goods
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bound — tied together
  11. spring — the season
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. suit — in cards
  17. staff — a stick
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. suit — to fit
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. spring — a coil
  22. bat — the animal
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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