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: kid · march · lie · ruler · stick · temple · straw · scale

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. scale — in music
  6. lie — to recline
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. kid — child
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. scale — size or range
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. march — music
  23. kid — to tease
  24. march — the month

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