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: lean · pitcher · chip · pit · lie · ground · jam · coach

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. ground — a position
  5. lean — to bend
  6. chip — for betting
  7. pit — a hole
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. chip — to eat
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — crushed
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. pit — in a race
  23. lie — to recline
  24. pitcher — a jug

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