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: tear · dip · wake · chip · present · squash · ruler · capital

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. squash — to crush
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. present — there
  5. dip — to sink
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. tear — to rip
  8. capital — money
  9. present — a gift
  10. tear — from crying
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wake — a trail
  13. chip — for betting
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. capital — a city
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. present — the time now
  18. tear — from crying
  19. chip — to eat
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. capital — a big letter

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