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: face · cap · leaves · bowl · nail · chip · deal · march

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. march — music
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. march — the month
  9. cap — a hat
  10. march — the month
  11. cap — of ice
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. deal — to handle
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. face — to confront
  17. chip — to eat
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. face — to point toward
  20. cap — a lid
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. face — part of the head
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. nail — for a hammer

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