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: face · fall · pit · chair · kick · wind · squash · lean

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. pit — a hole
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. wind — moving air
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. kick — in football
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. squash — the sport
  13. face — to point toward
  14. fall — to drop
  15. face — to confront
  16. chair — a leader
  17. fall — the season
  18. fall — to drop
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. squash — to crush
  21. lean — thin
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. face — part of the head
  24. wind — moving air

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