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 · chip · trunk · scale · staff · pop · clip · band

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. pop — to visit
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. chip — to eat
  5. band — a ring
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. staff — a stick
  8. band — a music group
  9. pop — soda
  10. scale — size or range
  11. pop — music
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. staff — employees
  14. staff — employees
  15. clip — for paper
  16. clip — to cut
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. clip — a video
  21. chip — for betting
  22. scale — in music
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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