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 120 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. cell — a phone
  3. rule — government
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. shower — to wash
  7. shower — rain
  8. lean — to bend
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. lean — thin
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. rule — a law
  22. cell — in biology
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. ruler — for measuring

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