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: face · track · jam · chip · wound · land · charge · spring

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. track — a path
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — an injury
  6. face — to confront
  7. charge — a price
  8. chip — to eat
  9. face — part of the head
  10. track — a song
  11. land — ground
  12. chip — for betting
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. face — to point toward
  15. track — to keep track
  16. charge — electricity
  17. land — to come down
  18. spring — of water
  19. spring — the season
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. land — a country
  23. spring — a coil
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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