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 116 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: perch · firm · face · trunk · kid · ruler · capital · chip

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. face — to confront
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. firm — a company
  8. face — part of the head
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. perch — the fish
  12. firm — steady
  13. kid — child
  14. kid — to tease
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. capital — a city
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. chip — to eat
  20. face — to point toward
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. capital — money
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. chip — for betting

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