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: foot · craft · rule · rash · row · hide · temple · bank

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. rash — hasty
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. craft — boats
  7. rule — a law
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bank — for money
  12. rash — a series
  13. rule — government
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. row — a line
  23. craft — a skill
  24. temple — a place of worship

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