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: present · snap · chest · face · object · pitch · kick · mouse

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. present — a gift
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. object — to protest
  6. face — to point toward
  7. object — a thing
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. chest — of your body
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — in football
  14. face — part of the head
  15. snap — to click
  16. present — the time now
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. object — an aim
  22. present — there
  23. face — to confront
  24. chest — of your body

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