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: ruler · squash · stick · chip · fall · shower · bowl · dip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. squash — to crush
  5. dip — to sink
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. shower — rain
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. chip — to eat
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. shower — to wash
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. fall — the season
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. squash — the sport
  23. fall — to drop
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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