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

Word bank: ball · suit · bark · chair · pitch · leaves

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pitch — completely
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bark — to shout
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. chair — a leader
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. ball — a dance

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