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: lean · pit · chair · capital · board · chip · pitcher · club

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. lean — thin
  4. pit — in a race
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. chip — to eat
  7. club — for dancing
  8. capital — money
  9. chair — a leader
  10. capital — a city
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. chip — for betting
  14. club — a group
  15. board — a committee
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. pit — a hole
  19. lean — to bend
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. club — for golf
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. chair — to sit on

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