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: stand · fan · last · temple · ruler · chip · swing · jam

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. last — finally
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. swing — in golf
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. chip — for betting
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. last — to go on
  16. swing — music
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. chip — to eat
  21. swing — to play on
  22. last — final
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. stand — to bear

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