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: temple · deal · spell · perch · patient · wake · tear · ruler

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. wake — a trail
  4. spell — a short time
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. perch — the fish
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. tear — from crying
  12. spell — letters
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. tear — from crying
  22. tear — to rip
  23. spell — magic
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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