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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: spell · fall · saw · cue · bore · temple

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. fall — to drop
  3. cue — a hint
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bore — to tire
  6. cue — a signal
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fall — the season
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. cue — for pool
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bore — to drill
  16. spell — letters
  17. fall — to drop
  18. temple — a place of worship

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