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: lie · spell · file · arm · capital · swing · bay · chip

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. chip — for betting
  4. swing — to play on
  5. file — a line of people
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. swing — in golf
  10. file — a tool
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — letters
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. capital — a city
  16. lie — to recline
  17. capital — money
  18. file — a document
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. spell — magic

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