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: march · ruler · stick · wake · calf · pitch

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. pitch — completely
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. march — music
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. march — the month
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. wake — a trail

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