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: field · deal · firm · pop · ground · race · stock · pit

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. firm — decided
  3. race — the arms race
  4. field — a subject
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pop — to visit
  7. field — for sport
  8. stock — shares
  9. race — humankind
  10. ground — a position
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ground — crushed
  14. stock — goods
  15. race — a contest
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pop — soda
  18. firm — steady
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. firm — a company
  22. field — farmland
  23. deal — to handle
  24. pit — in a race

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