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: rash · toast · firm · face · pitcher · bark · ruler · chip

  1. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to confront
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. firm — steady
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. face — part of the head
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bark — to shout
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. chip — to eat
  11. toast — bread
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. firm — a company
  14. rash — a series
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. rash — hasty
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. face — to point toward
  23. firm — decided
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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