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: bass · bear · trunk · cap · rush · chip · patient · arm

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bass — the fish
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cap — of ice
  16. rush — hurry
  17. chip — for betting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bass — low music
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. chip — to eat

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