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 · fine · pitch · board · sharp · calf · lie · row

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. board — a committee
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fine — high quality
  8. row — to paddle
  9. board — to get on
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. lie — to recline
  12. sharp — clever
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. row — a line
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. fine — all right
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. fine — a penalty

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