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: hide · season · calf · pitch · patient · perch · current · lie

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. current — of water
  3. perch — the fish
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. season — in sport
  6. lie — to recline
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. current — happening now
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. current — electric
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. season — of the year
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — completely

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