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 120 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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. fall — to drop
  7. mate — to breed
  8. wound — an injury
  9. mate — a friend
  10. dip — to sink
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. foot — a measure
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. wound — an injury
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — a law
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mate — a partner
  23. fall — the season
  24. dip — a sauce

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