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 · arm · can · shower · mouse · bound · race · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. shower — to wash
  3. can — a tin
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bound — tied together
  8. bound — obliged
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. race — the arms race
  13. can — to be able to
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. chip — for betting
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. key — the most important part
  19. can — a tin
  20. race — humankind
  21. shower — rain
  22. bound — certain
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. race — a contest

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