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 · perch · rash · cue · chip · capital · pitch · mate

  1. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. chip — to eat
  4. mate — to breed
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. mate — a friend
  7. object — an aim
  8. chip — for betting
  9. perch — the fish
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. cue — for pool
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. capital — a city
  14. object — a thing
  15. mate — a partner
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. object — to protest
  18. cue — a hint
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rash — hasty
  21. capital — money
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. cue — a signal
  24. rash — a series

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