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: bulb · bass · chip · charge · face · hide · cap · last

  1. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. last — finally
  3. last — to go on
  4. cap — a lid
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. face — to confront
  7. charge — in control
  8. bulb — for light
  9. charge — electricity
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bass — low music
  13. cap — a hat
  14. charge — a price
  15. chip — to eat
  16. cap — of ice
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. face — to point toward
  19. chip — for betting
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. last — final
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bass — the fish

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