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 · straw · toast · leaves · pitch · board · mug · bat

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bat — the animal
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. row — a line
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. board — a committee
  14. mug — a cup
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. mug — a face
  19. board — to get on
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. pitch — completely
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mug — to rob
  24. toast — bread

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