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: temple · charge · deal · fan · object · bear · face · chip

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. charge — in control
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — for betting
  10. deal — to handle
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. face — to point toward
  13. bear — the animal
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. charge — electricity
  16. face — to confront
  17. object — a thing
  18. bear — the animal
  19. chip — to eat
  20. object — to protest
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. face — part of the head
  24. object — an aim

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