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 · board · content · row · toast · nail · deal · temple

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. rule — government
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. rule — a law
  9. deal — to handle
  10. row — a line
  11. content — happy
  12. board — to get on
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. row — to paddle
  16. toast — bread
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. board — a committee
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. content — the amount
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. nail — on a finger

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