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 120 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: wind · scale · hide · chip · spell · dip · arm · fan

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. chip — for betting
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. wind — moving air
  10. scale — in music
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. spell — magic
  13. dip — to sink
  14. wind — moving air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. scale — size or range
  19. chip — to eat
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — a short time
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. arm — a part of something

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