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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. present — a gift
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. kid — to tease
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. present — the time now
  10. kid — child
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. present — there
  14. wound — an injury
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bear — the animal
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lash — an eyelash

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