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 · fall · snap · tear · pitcher · suit · fan · lie

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. suit — clothes
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. fall — to drop
  6. tear — from crying
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fall — the season
  12. tear — from crying
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fall — to drop
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to confront
  22. tear — to rip
  23. suit — to fit
  24. fan — a supporter

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