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: cap · chip · firm · bass · patient · temple · rock · face

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. rock — music
  3. chip — for betting
  4. face — to point toward
  5. chip — to eat
  6. firm — steady
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. bass — low music
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. firm — decided
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. firm — a company
  16. cap — a hat
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cap — of ice
  19. bass — the fish
  20. face — to confront
  21. face — part of the head
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rock — a stone
  24. temple — side of the head

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