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: clip · season · lie · lean · mark · pit · bore · coach

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bore — to tire
  3. clip — to cut
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mark — a grade
  9. clip — for paper
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. lean — thin
  12. lie — to recline
  13. bore — to drill
  14. season — of the year
  15. lean — to bend
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. mark — a trace
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. clip — a video
  23. pit — in a race
  24. season — in sport

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