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: nail · rash · stand · temple · fall · lean · sharp · bank

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bank — of a river
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. fall — the season
  8. bank — for money
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rash — a series
  11. bank — for money
  12. stand — to bear
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. sharp — clever
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. lean — thin
  19. fall — to drop
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. lean — to bend
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. stand — for spectators

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