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 · can · saw · bark · nail · chip · safe · kid

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. chip — for betting
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. kid — to tease
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. kid — child
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. can — a tin
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. saw — the tool
  17. can — to be able to
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bark — to shout
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. can — a tin
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. chip — in a computer

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