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: row · band · bank · vault · pitch · ball · leaves · calf

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. vault — a safe
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bank — for money
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. band — a ring
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. row — to paddle
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bank — for money
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. bank — of a river
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pitch — completely
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. band — a music group

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