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 · stand · rest · prune · coach · chest · net · firm

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. rest — what's left
  3. net — in sport
  4. prune — to trim
  5. firm — decided
  6. face — to confront
  7. stand — to bear
  8. face — part of the head
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — of your body
  12. net — after costs
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. prune — to trim
  15. chest — a box
  16. rest — a break
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. rest — what's left
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. face — to point toward
  21. firm — steady
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. firm — a company

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