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: roll · chest · mouse · tube · stand · pitch · kick · chip

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. kick — in football
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — completely
  5. chest — of your body
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chest — a box
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. stand — to bear
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. tube — the underground
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. roll — a cake
  19. tube — a container
  20. chip — for betting
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. chest — of your body
  24. roll — a list

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