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: pass · lie · face · field · calf · mine · bear · chip

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. bear — the animal
  5. face — to point toward
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. field — farmland
  8. face — part of the head
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. chip — for betting
  16. face — to confront
  17. pass — a permit
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. chip — to eat
  24. field — a subject

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