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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. march — the month
  3. march — the month
  4. can — to be able to
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. last — finally
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. last — final
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. march — music
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. stand — to bear
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. can — a tin
  19. last — to go on
  20. can — a tin
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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