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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitch · cabinet · chip · squash · stem · file · pop · deal

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. pop — soda
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. chip — for betting
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. pop — to visit
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. file — a line of people
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. file — a document
  14. stem — to come from
  15. pop — music
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pitch — completely
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — to handle
  20. squash — the sport
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. squash — to crush

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