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: lie · fall · face · jam · last · lean · stand · saw

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. fall — to drop
  4. face — part of the head
  5. lean — to bend
  6. stand — to bear
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. last — finally
  12. last — final
  13. saw — the tool
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. saw — the tool
  17. face — to confront
  18. lean — thin
  19. last — to go on
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. fall — the season
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. fall — to drop

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