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: rest · content · bay · face · scale · stand · lie · season

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. face — to confront
  4. season — in sport
  5. face — part of the head
  6. rest — what's left
  7. content — happy
  8. stand — to bear
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. rest — a break
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. season — of the year
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. face — to point toward
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. scale — in music

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