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

Word bank: ruler · bay · chip · hide · cell · chest

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. chest — of your body
  7. chest — a box
  8. cell — a phone
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. chest — of your body
  13. chip — to eat
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cell — in biology
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. chip — for betting

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