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: foot · chip · pass · plane · cap · lash · arm · game

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. cap — a hat
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. plane — a tool
  13. chip — to eat
  14. game — wild animals
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. cap — of ice
  17. chip — for betting
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. cap — a lid
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. pass — a permit
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. game — a match

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