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 · bay · hand · cap · roll · face · object · deal

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. roll — a list
  3. face — to confront
  4. cap — a hat
  5. object — an aim
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. deal — to handle
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. cap — a lid
  12. face — to point toward
  13. object — a thing
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. face — part of the head
  16. roll — a cake
  17. hand — in cards
  18. object — to protest
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. hand — help
  24. deal — a big deal

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