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: calf · pitch · leaves · pit · race · press · charge · wind

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. race — humankind
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — moving air
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. press — newspapers
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. race — the arms race
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. press — a publisher
  12. charge — electricity
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pit — in a race
  16. race — a contest
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. press — to push
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — in control
  24. leaves — 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