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: cap · dip · saw · chip · arm · rash · plane · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. dip — to sink
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. cap — a hat
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rash — hasty
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. rash — a series
  22. plane — a tool
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — to eat

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