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: chip · field · pop · pound · face · plane · cap · bore

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. cap — a hat
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. bore — to drill
  5. field — a subject
  6. cap — of ice
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. pop — music
  9. pop — to visit
  10. face — to confront
  11. pound — a weight
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. field — farmland
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — to eat
  17. pop — soda
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. cap — a lid
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. field — for sport
  23. face — to point toward
  24. bore — to tire

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