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: deal · current · season · tube · chip · tear · cue · straw

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. tube — the underground
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. chip — to eat
  5. cue — a hint
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. tear — from crying
  8. season — in sport
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. season — of the year
  11. tube — a container
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. cue — for pool
  14. chip — for betting
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. cue — a signal
  17. current — electric
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. tear — from crying
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — of water
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — a big deal

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