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: chip · pitcher · mine · saw · kick · roll · rock · hide

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mine — for digging
  3. roll — a list
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. rock — a stone
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. chip — for betting
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. saw — the tool
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. kick — in football
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. roll — a cake
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. rock — music
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chip — in a computer

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