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: court · calf · band · wound · rash · pitch · dip · press

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. wound — an injury
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. wound — an injury
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — a series
  11. court — for sport
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. court — of law
  17. press — to push
  18. band — a ring
  19. band — a music group
  20. court — of a king
  21. dip — to sink
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. pitch — completely
  24. press — a publisher

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