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: pitch · land · pass · calf · trunk · leaves · racket · spring

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. land — ground
  13. land — a country
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. land — to come down
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. spring — a coil
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. spring — of water
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pitch — completely

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