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: racket · club · bore · rule · land · ruler

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. club — for golf
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. club — a group
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. land — ground
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bore — to tire
  9. land — to come down
  10. rule — government
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. rule — a law
  13. land — a country
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. club — for dancing
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bore — to drill

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