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: sharp · pitch · mate · leaves · rush · stock · kick · row

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. row — to paddle
  4. row — a line
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. rush — hurry
  7. mate — to breed
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. kick — in football
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. stock — shares
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. sharp — clever
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. mate — a partner
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pitch — completely
  22. stock — goods
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. mate — a friend

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