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: can · chip · temple · bound · foot · season · pitcher · chest

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. can — to be able to
  3. chest — of your body
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bound — certain
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. chest — of your body
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. season — of the year
  13. bound — obliged
  14. can — a tin
  15. bound — tied together
  16. can — a tin
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. season — in sport
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. chest — a box
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. foot — a measure
  23. chip — to eat
  24. temple — side of the head

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