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: bear · ruler · land · vault · ground · temple · cabinet · rush

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. land — to come down
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. rush — hurry
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ground — crushed
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ground — the earth
  15. land — a country
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bear — the animal
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. land — ground
  22. ground — a position
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bear — the animal

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