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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. last — finally
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. spring — the season
  7. last — final
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. spring — of water
  17. lie — to recline
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. spring — a coil
  24. ruler — a monarch

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