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: arm · chip · bulb · face · club · hand · tube · stick

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. chip — to eat
  3. chip — for betting
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. club — a group
  6. bulb — for light
  7. tube — the underground
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. club — for golf
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. hand — in cards
  13. tube — a container
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. face — to confront
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bulb — for light
  19. face — to point toward
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. hand — help
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bulb — of a plant

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