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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. chip — to eat
  3. pop — music
  4. deal — to handle
  5. rest — a break
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. cap — of ice
  8. rest — what's left
  9. face — to point toward
  10. chip — for betting
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — a lid
  13. pop — to visit
  14. face — part of the head
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. face — to confront
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. spell — a short time
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. spell — magic
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. spell — letters

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