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 116 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 · pitch · game · file · wind · perch · ruler · can

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. can — a tin
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. game — a match
  8. wind — moving air
  9. file — a document
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. file — a line of people
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pitch — completely
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. can — a tin
  19. file — a tool
  20. perch — the fish
  21. wind — moving air
  22. can — to be able to
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. wind — to turn a key

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