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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. chest — of your body
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. shower — rain
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. hand — in cards
  10. lie — to recline
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. spell — letters
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. hand — help
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. spell — magic
  19. spell — a short time
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. shower — to wash
  22. chest — a box
  23. chest — of your body
  24. hide — animal skin

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