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: cap · chip · racket · chest · root · degree · pitch · stand

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. chest — a box
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a word
  7. degree — temperature
  8. cap — of ice
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. cap — a hat
  11. chest — of your body
  12. stand — to bear
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. degree — from a university
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. degree — an amount
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. chip — for betting
  19. chip — to eat
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. chest — of your body
  22. cap — a lid
  23. root — of a plant
  24. pitch — completely

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