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: board · march · pitch · sharp · mug · calf · kid · toast

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. kid — to tease
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. mug — a face
  7. mug — to rob
  8. pitch — completely
  9. march — the month
  10. board — a committee
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. march — the month
  13. kid — child
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. board — to get on
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. sharp — clever
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. march — music
  23. toast — bread
  24. mug — a cup

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