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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. pitch — completely
  3. mate — to breed
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. ball — a dance
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. mate — a friend
  20. chair — a leader
  21. stem — to come from
  22. chip — for betting
  23. ball — a great time
  24. mate — a partner

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