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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. face — part of the head
  4. mark — a trace
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. chip — to eat
  7. squash — the sport
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — magic
  10. snap — to click
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. chip — for betting
  13. current — electric
  14. mark — a grade
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. squash — to crush
  17. face — to point toward
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. current — of water
  21. spell — a short time
  22. current — happening now
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. face — to confront

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