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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. last — final
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. fall — to drop
  6. lean — thin
  7. ground — the earth
  8. club — for golf
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ground — a position
  11. club — for dancing
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. pit — a hole
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — in a race
  17. last — to go on
  18. ground — crushed
  19. last — finally
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. lean — to bend
  22. club — a group
  23. prune — to trim
  24. lean — to rest against

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