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 · pit · lie · pound · coach · face · season · root

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. pit — a hole
  3. season — in sport
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. rest — what's left
  7. face — to confront
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rest — a break
  10. face — to point toward
  11. face — part of the head
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pound — a weight
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. root — of a plant
  20. season — of the year
  21. root — of a word
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pound — for dogs

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