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: stick · ruler · fall · straw · rush · charge · leaves · face

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. charge — in control
  7. face — to confront
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fall — to drop
  10. charge — electricity
  11. face — to point toward
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. rush — hurry
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. fall — to drop
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. fall — the season
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. face — part of the head
  22. charge — a price
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. rush — a thrill

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