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: cap · chip · pitcher · fine · bore · pitch · face · staff

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. face — part of the head
  3. pitch — completely
  4. staff — a stick
  5. face — to point toward
  6. staff — employees
  7. cap — a lid
  8. bore — to drill
  9. fine — high quality
  10. staff — employees
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. face — to confront
  15. chip — to eat
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. cap — a hat
  19. fine — all right
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. cap — of ice
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. chip — for betting

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