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: tube · pitch · leaves · stand · saw · current · calf · last

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. tube — a container
  4. current — electric
  5. last — to go on
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. last — finally
  9. saw — the tool
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — to bear
  12. pitch — completely
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. saw — the tool
  15. current — of water
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. tube — the underground
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. last — final
  22. current — happening now
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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