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 116 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: fall · face · season · content · court · stand · snap · rest

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. face — to point toward
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. court — of a king
  5. fall — to drop
  6. rest — what's left
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. face — part of the head
  9. court — for sport
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. content — happy
  12. face — to confront
  13. rest — what's left
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. court — of law
  16. fall — to drop
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. snap — to click
  19. season — of the year
  20. stand — to bear
  21. season — in sport
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. rest — a break
  24. content — the amount

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