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 116 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 · ruler · cap · wind · rash · coach · chip · tear

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. deal — to handle
  4. chip — to eat
  5. tear — from crying
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. tear — from crying
  8. wind — moving air
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. chip — for betting
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. wind — moving air
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. cap — a lid
  15. cap — a hat
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. rash — hasty
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cap — of ice
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. tear — to rip
  24. coach — a trainer

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