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: charge · lean · face · bat · mate · calf · stem · season

  1. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. charge — in control
  3. season — of the year
  4. mate — to breed
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. lean — thin
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. face — to confront
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. stem — to come from
  13. lean — to bend
  14. face — to point toward
  15. mate — a partner
  16. face — part of the head
  17. charge — a price
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mate — a friend
  22. charge — electricity
  23. season — in sport
  24. bat — the animal

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