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 120 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 · firm · saw · mine · key · season · chip · scale

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. firm — steady
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. mine — for digging
  5. scale — size or range
  6. chip — to eat
  7. saw — the tool
  8. face — part of the head
  9. season — of the year
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. chip — for betting
  12. firm — decided
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. scale — in music
  17. firm — a company
  18. key — the most important part
  19. saw — the tool
  20. key — for a lock
  21. face — to confront
  22. key — in music
  23. season — in sport
  24. mine — belonging to me

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