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: ruler · lash · pass · spell · rule · cell

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. cell — a phone
  3. spell — letters
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. cell — in biology
  7. spell — a short time
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. rule — a law
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. rule — government
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. spell — magic
  18. pass — a permit

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