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: bat · deal · lash · chip · degree · fan · plane · pitcher

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. plane — a tool
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. chip — for betting
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. chip — to eat
  8. bat — the animal
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. degree — from a university
  14. degree — temperature
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. deal — to handle
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. degree — an amount
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. plane — in geometry

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