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: face · spell · chip · coach · date · jam · dip · chair

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. face — to confront
  3. date — the fruit
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. dip — to sink
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. spell — magic
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. face — part of the head
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. chip — to eat
  14. face — to point toward
  15. spell — letters
  16. chair — a leader
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. spell — a short time
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. chip — for betting
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. jam — in traffic

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