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 116 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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. chip — for betting
  7. squash — to crush
  8. game — a match
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. sharp — clever
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. squash — the sport
  19. game — wild animals
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. calf — a young animal

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