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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. season — in sport
  5. cap — a lid
  6. rush — hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. clip — a video
  9. cap — of ice
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. clip — for paper
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cap — a hat
  18. season — of the year
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. clip — to cut
  23. hide — animal skin
  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