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: pit · lean · face · mate · fork · game · shower · coach

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. pit — in a race
  3. lean — to bend
  4. pit — a hole
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. shower — to wash
  8. mate — a friend
  9. game — a match
  10. face — to point toward
  11. fork — in a road
  12. face — part of the head
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. shower — rain
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. game — wild animals
  20. face — to confront
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a partner
  23. lean — thin
  24. fork — to eat with

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