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: game · prune · coach · rush · tube · chip · pitcher · mate

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. tube — the underground
  6. rush — hurry
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. prune — to trim
  16. mate — a partner
  17. game — a match
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. game — wild animals
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. tube — a container
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — to eat
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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