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 · lean · chip · file · bay · game · nail · coach

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. game — a match
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — to eat
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. file — a tool
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. file — a line of people
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. lean — thin
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. lean — to bend
  21. file — a document
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. game — wild animals
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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