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: root · pitch · hide · chip · ruler · squash · coach · object

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. object — a thing
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. chip — to eat
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. squash — the sport
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. object — to protest
  15. pitch — completely
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. object — an aim
  18. root — of a word
  19. root — of a plant
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. squash — to crush
  22. root — the cause
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. ruler — for measuring

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