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 116 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. spell — magic
  3. chip — to eat
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. face — to point toward
  6. kid — child
  7. spell — letters
  8. face — part of the head
  9. kid — to tease
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. spell — a short time
  12. capital — a city
  13. capital — money
  14. face — to confront
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. chip — for betting
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. press — newspapers
  21. press — to push
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. press — a publisher

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