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: suit · mug · net · pit · board · cell · chip · hand

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — in sport
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. suit — in cards
  6. chip — for betting
  7. net — after costs
  8. pit — in a race
  9. suit — clothes
  10. cell — in biology
  11. board — to get on
  12. mug — to rob
  13. board — a committee
  14. cell — a phone
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. mug — a cup
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. mug — a face
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. hand — in cards

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