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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  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. can — to be able to
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pop — music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. squash — the sport
  6. pop — soda
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. pitch — completely
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — electricity
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. charge — in control
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. can — a tin
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. can — a tin
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. squash — to crush
  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