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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. rule — government
  3. dip — to sink
  4. tear — from crying
  5. tear — to rip
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. tube — the underground
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. plane — a tool
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rule — a law
  17. chip — for betting
  18. tear — from crying
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. chip — to eat
  22. rock — music
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — with a leg

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