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: game · snap · plane · wave · clip · chip · chest · tube

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — to eat
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. chest — of your body
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. tube — a container
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. chest — a box
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. game — wild animals
  12. tube — the underground
  13. clip — a video
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. clip — to cut
  16. chip — for betting
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. clip — for paper
  20. game — a match
  21. plane — a tool
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. chest — of your body
  24. snap — to click

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