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: coach · bowl · pitch · bore · squash · kick · mate · chip

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. squash — the sport
  4. chip — to eat
  5. kick — in football
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. mate — a partner
  8. chip — for betting
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. squash — to crush
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. mate — to breed
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. mate — a friend
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bowl — to roll

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