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 120 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: rock · fork · pitch · calf · capital · mine · leaves · lean

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. lean — to bend
  4. capital — a city
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. capital — money
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. fork — in a road
  11. rock — music
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. rock — a stone
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. mine — for digging
  24. capital — a big letter

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