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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. lie — to recline
  4. ground — the earth
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rush — hurry
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. toast — bread
  15. foot — a measure
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. ground — a position
  18. face — to confront
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. ground — crushed
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. face — to point toward

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