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 · perch · chip · coach · chair · staff · lie · wind

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — moving air
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. perch — the fish
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. lie — to recline
  12. staff — employees
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. chip — to eat
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. chair — a leader
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. chip — for betting
  24. lie — an untruth

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