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: drill · trunk · mate · board · shower · stock · pitch · racket

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. stock — shares
  5. drill — a practice
  6. stock — goods
  7. shower — rain
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. board — to get on
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. pitch — completely
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. drill — the tool
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. drill — army training
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — a friend
  20. board — a committee
  21. shower — to wash
  22. mate — to breed
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. trunk — of a tree

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