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

Word bank: racket · rule · wind · calf · ground · snap

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. rule — government
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. rule — a law
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. wind — moving air
  9. ground — the earth
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. ground — a position
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. ground — crushed
  15. snap — to click
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. racket — for tennis

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