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: chip · lash · file · arm · squash · nail · present · tube

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. chip — to eat
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. chip — for betting
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. present — there
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. present — the time now
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the sport
  13. present — a gift
  14. file — a tool
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. file — a line of people
  18. tube — a container
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. file — a document
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. tube — the underground
  24. lash — an eyelash

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