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 120 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: pop · mine · temple · chest · cue · pitch · dip · bat

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. chest — a box
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. pitch — completely
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. dip — to sink
  9. chest — of your body
  10. pop — music
  11. cue — a hint
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pop — soda
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. chest — of your body
  18. mine — for digging
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. cue — a signal

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