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: bowl · chip · arm · content · current · toast · prune · file

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. file — a tool
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. content — happy
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. file — a document
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. toast — bread
  16. content — the amount
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. chip — to eat
  19. prune — to trim
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. prune — to trim
  23. current — electric
  24. arm — a part of something

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