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: hand · lie · rule · stick · roll · spell · drill · land

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  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. drill — a practice
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. spell — a short time
  5. lie — to recline
  6. roll — a cake
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. land — ground
  9. drill — army training
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. hand — in cards
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. drill — the tool
  16. land — a country
  17. land — to come down
  18. spell — magic
  19. hand — help
  20. roll — a list
  21. rule — a law
  22. spell — letters
  23. rule — government
  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