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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. roll — a list
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. rest — a break
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — to eat
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. saw — the tool
  12. roll — a cake
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. rest — what's left
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. perch — the fish
  21. rest — what's left
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. saw — the tool

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