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 · perch · band · scale · pass · bore · board · rule

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. scale — size or range
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. rule — government
  11. bore — to drill
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. band — a music group
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — in music
  17. board — a committee
  18. board — to get on
  19. bore — to tire
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. perch — the fish
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. perch — for a bird

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