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: pitch · club · bore · season · mate · lean · rock · court

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. court — of a king
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a friend
  8. rock — music
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bore — to tire
  11. club — a group
  12. court — of law
  13. pitch — completely
  14. court — for sport
  15. club — for dancing
  16. rock — a stone
  17. season — in sport
  18. bore — to drill
  19. season — of the year
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. club — for golf
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. mate — a partner

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