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: deal · chip · dip · object · hand · ball · tear · cap

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a lid
  4. chip — to eat
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. ball — a great time
  7. hand — in cards
  8. object — a thing
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. object — to protest
  11. hand — help
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. chip — for betting
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. ball — a dance
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — from crying
  20. tear — to rip
  21. dip — to sink
  22. object — an aim
  23. deal — to handle
  24. cap — a hat

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