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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tear · cap · temple · object · patient · chip

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. object — to protest
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. object — an aim
  7. cap — a hat
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — of ice
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. tear — from crying
  14. chip — to eat
  15. tear — from crying
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. chip — for betting
  18. tear — to rip

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