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 · pit · kick · date · chip · mark · pitch · pop

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. pop — to visit
  3. pop — music
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. mark — a grade
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pit — in a race
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. chip — for betting
  17. pitch — completely
  18. kick — in football
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pop — soda
  23. date — the fruit
  24. date — on the calendar

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