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: snap · lie · deal · temple · ruler · wave · fall · hide

  1. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. fall — to drop
  4. snap — to click
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. fall — the season
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. deal — to handle
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. fall — to drop
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. ruler — a monarch

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