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: leaves · fall · object · roll · band · rule · scale · lie

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. lie — to recline
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. rule — government
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. scale — size or range
  9. roll — a list
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. band — a ring
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — an aim
  14. fall — the season
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. roll — a cake
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. fall — to drop
  20. object — a thing
  21. fall — to drop
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. rule — a law
  24. band — a music group

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