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: mug · board · pitcher · arm · face · spring · nail · chip

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. chip — to eat
  3. spring — of water
  4. mug — a face
  5. spring — the season
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. face — to point toward
  10. chip — for betting
  11. mug — a cup
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. face — part of the head
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. board — a committee
  17. spring — a coil
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mug — to rob
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. face — to confront
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. arm — part of the body

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