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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rule — government
  4. tear — from crying
  5. fall — to drop
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. fall — the season
  9. rest — what's left
  10. tear — from crying
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. staff — a stick
  13. rule — a law
  14. staff — employees
  15. prune — to trim
  16. fall — to drop
  17. prune — to trim
  18. staff — employees
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. lie — to recline
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. tear — to rip
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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