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

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. chip — to eat
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. date — the fruit
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. pitch — completely
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. plane — a tool
  12. deal — to handle
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. mug — to rob
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. mug — a face
  21. chip — for betting
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. plane — an aircraft

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