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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — help
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. chip — to eat
  16. deal — to handle
  17. chip — for betting
  18. hand — in cards
  19. squash — to crush
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. squash — the sport

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