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: rest · chair · rush · lean · row · lie · wave · toast

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. rest — what's left
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. chair — a leader
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. lean — to bend
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. toast — bread
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. rest — a break
  17. row — to paddle
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lean — thin
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. row — a line
  23. rush — hurry
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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