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

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. branch — a division
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. foot — a measure
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. chip — for betting
  12. pop — soda
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. chip — to eat
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — to visit
  24. kick — in football

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