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: rule · game · board · arm · swing · chip · jam · rash

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. swing — to play on
  3. chip — to eat
  4. rash — hasty
  5. game — a match
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. rule — government
  8. chip — for betting
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. rule — a law
  13. board — a committee
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. rash — a series
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. game — wild animals
  21. board — to get on
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — in golf
  24. jam — a tight spot

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