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: rush · lie · rash · bore · temple · field · pass · rule

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. bore — to drill
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. field — for sport
  12. field — farmland
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bore — to tire
  15. field — a subject
  16. rule — a law
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pass — a permit
  19. lie — to recline
  20. rash — a series
  21. rush — hurry
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rule — government

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