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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — a price
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pass — a permit
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. dip — to sink
  14. pit — a hole
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. charge — in control
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. stand — to bear
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pitch — completely
  24. perch — the fish

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