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

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. band — a music group
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. club — for golf
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. last — to go on
  10. chip — to eat
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. club — for dancing
  13. wind — moving air
  14. club — a group
  15. rule — government
  16. band — a ring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. last — final
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rule — a law
  21. chip — for betting
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. last — finally

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