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: saw · ball · racket · chip · straw · arm · cabinet · face

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. chip — for betting
  5. face — to confront
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. saw — the tool
  9. face — part of the head
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. ball — a dance
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. chip — to eat
  21. face — to point toward
  22. saw — the tool
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. straw — dry grass

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