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: trunk · band · pitch · hide · foot · lie · pitcher · bore

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. bore — to tire
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. lie — to recline
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bore — to drill
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. foot — a measure
  16. band — a ring
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. band — a music group
  24. trunk — of a tree

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