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 · trunk · cold · suit · ruler · pitch · content · face

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. face — to point toward
  4. content — happy
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. face — to confront
  12. face — part of the head
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. cold — not warm
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cold — an illness
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. pitch — completely
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. content — the amount
  23. lie — to recline
  24. suit — clothes

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