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: suit · saw · mate · pitch · rock · court · pitcher · chip

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. suit — to fit
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. rock — music
  7. suit — in cards
  8. chip — for betting
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — a friend
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. court — for sport
  13. court — of a king
  14. saw — the tool
  15. court — of law
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — completely
  19. mate — to breed
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rock — a stone
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. chip — to eat

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