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 116 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: bear · pit · snap · ruler · rule · lean

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. 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. snap — to speak sharply
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. bear — the animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. lean — thin
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pit — a hole
  13. snap — to click
  14. rule — government
  15. pit — in a race
  16. rule — a law
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. 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