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: hide · pitch · calf · game · straw · lie · rock · perch

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. lie — to recline
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. game — wild animals
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. pitch — completely
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. game — a match
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. rock — a stone
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. rock — music
  24. perch — the fish

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