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: land · chip · nail · arm · shower · bulb · perch · cue

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cue — a hint
  3. shower — to wash
  4. cue — a signal
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. land — to come down
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — to eat
  11. land — ground
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. shower — rain
  14. bulb — for light
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. perch — the fish
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. bulb — for light
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. cue — for pool
  24. land — a country

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