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: plane · rash · racket · chip · deal · patient · bear · cap

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. chip — to eat
  3. cap — a hat
  4. chip — for betting
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. cap — a lid
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. plane — a tool
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. cap — of ice
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bear — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. rash — hasty
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rash — a series

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