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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. suit — clothes
  3. cold — not warm
  4. suit — in cards
  5. roll — a cake
  6. suit — to fit
  7. lean — thin
  8. roll — a list
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. cold — an illness
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. rush — hurry
  21. fork — in a road
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. lean — to bend
  24. rush — a thrill

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