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: cell · rule · arm · ruler · file · lie · row · snap

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. file — a document
  6. lie — to recline
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. row — to paddle
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. rule — government
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. file — a line of people
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. cell — a phone
  16. file — a tool
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. row — a line
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. snap — to click
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. rule — a law

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