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: calf · wind · pitcher · trunk · scale · lean · stand · face

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. lean — to bend
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. face — to point toward
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. face — part of the head
  16. face — to confront
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. lean — thin
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. scale — size or range
  24. wind — moving air

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