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: leaves · rest · racket · rock · hide · scale

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. rock — music
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. scale — in music
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — a break
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. rock — a stone
  18. scale — size or range

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