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 · stand · stem · pitch · season · sharp · bowl · lean

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. pitch — completely
  9. season — of the year
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. stem — to come from
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. lean — thin
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. lean — to bend
  23. season — in sport
  24. calf — a young animal

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