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: wax · band · deal · lie · rash · ball · ruler · temple

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rash — a series
  4. band — a music group
  5. ball — a dance
  6. band — a ring
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. deal — to handle
  11. wax — to grow
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. ball — a great time
  14. lie — to recline
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rash — hasty
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. rash — on the skin
  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