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: deal · fall · foot · chip · pop · dip · lean · cap

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. foot — a measure
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pop — soda
  6. fall — to drop
  7. cap — a hat
  8. dip — to sink
  9. pop — to visit
  10. deal — to handle
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — for betting
  13. fall — the season
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. cap — of ice
  16. fall — to drop
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. cap — a lid
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. lean — to bend
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. lean — thin
  24. pop — music

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