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: lean · mate · season · race · stand · rest · fall · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. mate — a friend
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. mate — a partner
  5. season — in sport
  6. fall — the season
  7. rest — what's left
  8. object — an aim
  9. stand — to bear
  10. rest — a break
  11. race — a contest
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. rest — what's left
  14. race — the arms race
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. race — humankind
  18. season — of the year
  19. fall — to drop
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fall — to drop
  22. lean — thin
  23. mate — to breed
  24. object — to protest

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