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: arm · file · stock · hide · chip · can · wind · sharp

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. can — to be able to
  3. can — a tin
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. chip — for betting
  6. sharp — clever
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. file — a line of people
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. wind — moving air
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. wind — moving air
  19. stock — goods
  20. file — a tool
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. file — a document
  24. can — a tin

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