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: row · pop · ruler · cabinet · stand · staff · lie · face

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. pop — to visit
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. row — to paddle
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pop — music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stand — to bear
  10. lie — to recline
  11. face — to point toward
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. face — to confront
  16. staff — employees
  17. row — a line
  18. staff — employees
  19. pop — soda
  20. staff — a stick
  21. face — part of the head
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lie — an untruth

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