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: calf · ground · craft · last · coach · pitch · ball · perch

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  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. ball — a round shape
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pitch — completely
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ball — a dance
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. last — finally
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. ground — a position
  12. craft — boats
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. last — to go on
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. ball — a great time
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. ground — crushed
  21. last — final
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pitch — a sports field
  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