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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a lid
  5. chip — to eat
  6. charge — in control
  7. tear — from crying
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. face — to point toward
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. charge — electricity
  13. tear — from crying
  14. face — part of the head
  15. charge — a price
  16. cap — a hat
  17. face — to confront
  18. wake — a trail
  19. tear — to rip
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pitch — completely
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pass — a permit

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