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. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. track — a song
  6. firm — decided
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. firm — steady
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. court — of law
  14. court — for sport
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. track — a path
  19. wake — a trail
  20. deal — to handle
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. firm — a company
  23. track — to keep track
  24. court — of a king

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