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: pitch · roll · rock · present · chair · bore · craft · chest

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. present — there
  4. roll — a cake
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to tire
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. craft — boats
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a leader
  12. chest — a box
  13. chest — of your body
  14. present — a gift
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. craft — a skill
  17. roll — a list
  18. rock — music
  19. bore — to drill
  20. chest — of your body
  21. rock — a stone
  22. present — the time now
  23. pitch — completely
  24. chair — a professorship

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