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 120 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: bay · chip · arm · lash · saw · present · ground · mouse

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. ground — crushed
  4. saw — the tool
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. chip — to eat
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. chip — for betting
  13. ground — a position
  14. present — there
  15. ground — the earth
  16. present — the time now
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. present — a gift
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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