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: rush · wound · root · lie · fall · cold · suit · lean

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. rush — hurry
  3. suit — to fit
  4. wound — an injury
  5. fall — to drop
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. cold — not warm
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to bend
  12. cold — an illness
  13. root — of a word
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. root — of a plant
  16. wound — an injury
  17. lie — to recline
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. root — the cause
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. fall — to drop
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — in cards

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