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: pit · fork · present · cabinet · cap · tube · chip · degree

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cap — of ice
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. fork — in a road
  7. pit — in a race
  8. present — there
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cap — a hat
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chip — to eat
  15. cap — a lid
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. tube — the underground
  19. degree — temperature
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — the time now
  22. degree — from a university
  23. tube — a container
  24. degree — an amount

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