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: club · leaves · pitch · net · hide · wave · present · trunk

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. present — there
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. net — in sport
  10. net — for catching
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. net — after costs
  17. pitch — completely
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — for golf
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. present — the time now
  24. club — a 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