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: nail · rush · arm · track · bound · bear · kick · chip

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. track — a song
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bound — obliged
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. chip — for betting
  13. track — to keep track
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. bound — tied together
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bound — certain
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. track — a path
  24. rush — hurry

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