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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. perch — the fish
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. key — the most important part
  9. key — for a lock
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. charge — in control
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. chip — to eat
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. key — in music
  23. pitch — completely
  24. charge — a price

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