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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. pass — a permit
  4. board — a committee
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. last — to go on
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. plane — a tool
  13. chip — to eat
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chest — a box
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. last — final
  20. chip — for betting
  21. board — to get on
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. chip — in a computer

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