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: object · degree · fork · bat · kick · chair · pit · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. chip — for betting
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. degree — an amount
  10. bat — the animal
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. object — a thing
  15. fork — in a road
  16. object — an aim
  17. degree — from a university
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. kick — in football
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. object — to protest

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