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 120 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: ruler · nail · lean · content · coach · face · deal · stick

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. content — happy
  5. lean — to bend
  6. deal — to handle
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. face — to point toward
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. face — part of the head
  20. face — to confront
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. lean — thin
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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