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: lie · date · cold · staff · firm · ruler · file · hand

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. cold — an illness
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. hand — in cards
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. file — a document
  8. cold — the Cold War
  9. cold — not warm
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. date — the fruit
  12. file — a line of people
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. lie — to recline
  17. firm — steady
  18. staff — employees
  19. firm — a company
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. file — a tool
  22. staff — employees
  23. firm — decided
  24. staff — a stick

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