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: face · lean · rush · ground · bank · last · mate · staff

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. mate — to breed
  3. ground — a position
  4. bank — of a river
  5. face — to confront
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. staff — a stick
  8. bank — for money
  9. face — to point toward
  10. last — final
  11. lean — to bend
  12. mate — a friend
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — hurry
  15. last — to go on
  16. staff — employees
  17. ground — the earth
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lean — thin
  20. mate — a partner
  21. bank — for money
  22. last — finally
  23. staff — employees
  24. face — part of the head

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