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 · face · safe · calf · drill · chair · kick · fork

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. drill — army training
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. face — to confront
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. drill — the tool
  15. face — to point toward
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lie — to recline
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. kick — in football
  21. drill — a practice
  22. face — part of the head
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. chair — a leader

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