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 116 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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. dip — to sink
  3. fall — to drop
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. present — there
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. field — a subject
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. last — final
  10. last — finally
  11. fall — to drop
  12. field — farmland
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. field — for sport
  15. game — a match
  16. fall — the season
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. lean — thin
  19. present — a gift
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. game — wild animals
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. present — the time now
  24. lean — to bend

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