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

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. ball — a great time
  5. present — there
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pitch — completely
  9. lean — thin
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. lean — to bend
  12. present — the time now
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. row — to paddle
  19. lie — to recline
  20. row — a line
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. present — a gift
  24. lie — an untruth

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