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 · lean · face · patient · wake · race · fork · scale

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. race — the arms race
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. race — humankind
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. face — to point toward
  8. face — to confront
  9. scale — in music
  10. stand — to bear
  11. fork — in a road
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. wake — a trail
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. lean — thin
  17. race — a contest
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. scale — size or range
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. face — part of the head
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. lean — to bend
  24. scale — for weighing

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