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: pitch · root · foot · nail · chest · coach · cell · kick

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. kick — in football
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. cell — in biology
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. root — the cause
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. chest — of your body
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. foot — a measure
  15. root — of a word
  16. cell — a phone
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — a box
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. pitch — completely

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