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: calf · mark · key · face · chip · bank · roll · field

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. mark — a trace
  3. roll — a cake
  4. face — to point toward
  5. chip — for betting
  6. roll — a list
  7. key — the most important part
  8. field — farmland
  9. key — for a lock
  10. field — for sport
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — of a river
  15. face — part of the head
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. field — a subject
  19. chip — to eat
  20. bank — for money
  21. key — in music
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. calf — a young animal

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