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: bark · suit · lean · press · wax · can · pitch · calf

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. can — a tin
  3. lean — thin
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. pitch — completely
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. suit — to fit
  10. can — a tin
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — to push
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. wax — to grow
  15. can — to be able to
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bark — to shout
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. suit — clothes

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