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: stand · firm · face · nail · lie · pitch · bat · chip

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pitch — completely
  3. face — to point toward
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bat — the animal
  10. chip — for betting
  11. stand — to bear
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. face — to confront
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. chip — to eat
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. firm — steady
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. nail — on a finger

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