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 120 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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The water is too ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. charge — in control
  3. object — to protest
  4. firm — decided
  5. object — a thing
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. lie — to recline
  8. cap — a hat
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. charge — electricity
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. cold — not warm
  14. firm — steady
  15. charge — a price
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. object — an aim
  19. deal — to handle
  20. cold — an illness
  21. cap — of ice
  22. cap — a lid
  23. firm — a company
  24. deal — an agreement

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