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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. chip — to eat
  5. wax — to grow
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. perch — the fish
  9. fork — in a road
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. sharp — clever
  13. hand — help
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. hand — in cards
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. chip — for betting
  22. staff — employees
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. chip — in a computer

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