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: object · toast · mug · arm · chip · file · chest · lean

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. file — a tool
  3. chest — of your body
  4. toast — bread
  5. mug — a face
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. chip — to eat
  9. object — a thing
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. lean — to bend
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. file — a document
  14. object — to protest
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. lean — thin
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. mug — a cup
  20. chest — a box
  21. mug — to rob
  22. file — a line of people
  23. object — an aim
  24. chest — of your body

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