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 120 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: spell · pitch · chip · wax · net · coach · kick · board

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. net — in sport
  3. wax — to grow
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. spell — magic
  6. pitch — completely
  7. board — a committee
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. spell — a short time
  12. chip — to eat
  13. board — to get on
  14. net — for catching
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. spell — letters
  19. net — after costs
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. kick — in football
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — for betting
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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