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 · ruler · cap · perch · season · tear · file

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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 — part of the body
  3. cap — of ice
  4. file — a tool
  5. tear — to rip
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. perch — the fish
  8. chip — for betting
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. file — a line of people
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. tear — from crying
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. season — of the year
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. tear — from crying
  18. cap — a lid
  19. file — a document
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. chip — to eat
  23. cap — a hat
  24. season — in sport

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