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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. staff — a stick
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. rock — a stone
  8. staff — employees
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — clever
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pitch — completely
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. chip — to eat
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rock — music
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. staff — employees

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