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: leaves · pitch · patient · face · saw · pit · stand · mouse

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. stand — to bear
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. face — to point toward
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. pit — in a race
  9. pit — a hole
  10. face — part of the head
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. saw — the tool
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. face — to confront
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. pitch — completely

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