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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. roll — a list
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. squash — to crush
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. rule — a law
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — a series
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. rest — what's left
  15. squash — the sport
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rule — government
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. plane — a tool
  20. hand — in cards
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. hand — help

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