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: rule · vault · file · deal · racket · perch

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  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. racket — for tennis
  2. file — a tool
  3. rule — government
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. perch — the fish
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. file — a document
  13. rule — a law
  14. vault — a safe
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. file — a line of people
  17. deal — to handle
  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