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 116 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: racket · rest · stock · cue · hide · rule

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. cue — a hint
  3. rest — a break
  4. cue — for pool
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rest — what's left
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. stock — shares
  12. rule — government
  13. cue — a signal
  14. stock — goods
  15. rule — a law
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret

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