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: root · bay · pitcher · pitch · wave · fine · wind · calf

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. root — the cause
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. wind — moving air
  16. root — of a word
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. pitch — completely
  20. fine — all right
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. wave — of the sea

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