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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. roll — a list
  4. wake — a trail
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. tube — a container
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. bulb — for light
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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