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: chip · patient · suit · pitcher · kick · dip · fork · temple

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. kick — in football
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. dip — to sink
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. chip — for betting
  14. fork — in a road
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. suit — in cards
  17. chip — to eat
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. suit — clothes

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