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

Word bank: rule · clip · rest · hide · spell · ruler

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rule — government
  3. spell — a short time
  4. rest — what's left
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. clip — for paper
  8. spell — magic
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. spell — letters
  11. clip — a video
  12. rest — what's left
  13. clip — to cut
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. rest — a break
  17. rule — a law
  18. hide — animal skin

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