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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a lid
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. staff — a stick
  6. charge — a price
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. face — to confront
  9. staff — employees
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cap — a hat
  12. face — part of the head
  13. swing — to play on
  14. staff — employees
  15. swing — music
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. charge — electricity
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. swing — in golf
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. charge — in control
  22. suit — clothes
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. suit — to fit

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