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: mouse · arm · chip · wind · plane · dip · ball · cap

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. cap — of ice
  3. plane — a tool
  4. cap — a lid
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. chip — for betting
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. cap — a hat
  9. wind — moving air
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. ball — a great time
  16. dip — to sink
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. ball — a dance
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. wind — moving air
  23. chip — to eat
  24. dip — a sauce

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