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 ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. last — final
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. track — a song
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. last — to go on
  10. snap — to click
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — a position
  15. ground — the earth
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. track — a path
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. track — to keep track
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. last — finally
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. ruler — for measuring

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