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: season · cap · jam · temple · deal · ruler · suit · rash

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. deal — to handle
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. cap — a hat
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. rash — hasty
  9. season — in sport
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. season — of the year
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. cap — of ice
  15. suit — clothes
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. rash — a series
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — to fit
  23. cap — a lid
  24. jam — a tight spot

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