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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. game — wild animals
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. game — a match
  6. fall — to drop
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. face — to point toward
  9. fall — to drop
  10. rule — a law
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. spring — of water
  15. lie — to recline
  16. face — part of the head
  17. face — to confront
  18. spring — the season
  19. spring — a coil
  20. rule — government
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rule — to rule out

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