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: rash · swing · bowl · capital · lean · coach · rock · rule

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rash — a series
  6. rock — a stone
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. swing — music
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. capital — a city
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. capital — money
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. lean — thin
  16. rock — music
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. rule — government
  19. swing — to play on
  20. rash — hasty
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. swing — in golf
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. lean — to bend

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