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: rash · coach · chip · foot · spell · squash · mark · arm

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. chip — to eat
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. squash — the sport
  6. mark — a grade
  7. spell — a short time
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. spell — magic
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. rash — hasty
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. spell — letters
  20. mark — a trace
  21. squash — to crush
  22. chip — for betting
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — the bottom

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