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 · ruler · dip · tube · foot · chest · wave · spell

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. tube — a container
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. spell — letters
  5. tube — the underground
  6. chest — of your body
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. chest — a box
  10. chip — for betting
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. dip — to sink
  13. spell — magic
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. foot — a measure
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chest — of your body
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. chip — to eat
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. ruler — a monarch

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