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: squash · pit · net · chip · pitch · band · dip · season

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. chip — for betting
  3. band — a ring
  4. chip — to eat
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. band — a music group
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — to crush
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. net — for catching
  13. dip — to sink
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. net — after costs
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pit — a hole
  18. season — of the year
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. pit — in a race
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. net — in sport
  24. season — in sport

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