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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. file — a tool
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. wind — moving air
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. band — a ring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. file — a document
  13. chip — for betting
  14. wind — moving air
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chip — to eat
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. band — a music group
  24. file — a line of people

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