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 120 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 · bear · kick · season · lie · temple · foot · pitch

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. season — in sport
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. pitch — completely
  10. foot — a measure
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. kick — in football
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. fall — the season
  16. fall — to drop
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. season — of the year
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bear — the animal
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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