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 120 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: pitch · lean · bear · game · calf · stick · object · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. game — wild animals
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. pitch — completely
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bear — the animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — a match
  16. stem — to come from
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — an aim
  21. object — to protest
  22. lean — thin
  23. lean — to bend
  24. calf — of the leg

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