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: arm · pound · wind · calf · bowl · pitch · board · press

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. pitch — completely
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. press — a publisher
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. press — newspapers
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. board — a committee
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pound — a weight
  19. press — to push
  20. board — to get on
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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