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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. face — to point toward
  3. charge — a price
  4. land — a country
  5. cap — of ice
  6. charge — electricity
  7. face — part of the head
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mug — to rob
  10. game — a match
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. face — to confront
  13. cap — a lid
  14. mug — a cup
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — crushed
  18. charge — in control
  19. land — ground
  20. ground — a position
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. mug — a face
  23. land — to come down
  24. cap — a hat

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