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: kick · root · chip · pit · last · snap · present · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. last — finally
  3. snap — to click
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. root — the cause
  8. pit — a hole
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. chip — for betting
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. present — the time now
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. last — to go on
  18. root — of a plant
  19. present — a gift
  20. pit — in a race
  21. last — final
  22. root — of a word
  23. present — there
  24. kick — in football

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