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 116 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: kid · field · pit · kick · chip · fan · pitch · deal

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. pitch — completely
  4. field — for sport
  5. chip — to eat
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. kid — to tease
  10. kid — child
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. field — farmland
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. field — a subject
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. pit — a hole
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. kick — in football
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. deal — a big deal

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