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: bay · kick · pitcher · bear · chip · temple · tube · track

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. track — to keep track
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chip — for betting
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. chip — to eat
  12. tube — a container
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. tube — the underground
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bear — the animal
  18. track — a song
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. track — a path
  24. pitcher — a jug

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