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: chip · deal · straw · race · bay · current · tube · dip

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. current — of water
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. tube — a container
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. current — electric
  8. current — happening now
  9. race — the arms race
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. deal — to handle
  12. race — a contest
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. dip — to sink
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. chip — to eat
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. tube — the underground
  24. race — humankind

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