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: bound · saw · cue · stand · chip · pitch · game · content

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bound — tied together
  3. pitch — completely
  4. saw — the tool
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. content — the amount
  7. game — wild animals
  8. game — a match
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. cue — a signal
  12. chip — to eat
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. cue — a hint
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. content — happy
  21. cue — for pool
  22. bound — obliged
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bound — certain

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