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: land · leaves · chest · hide · ruler · racket · arm · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. chest — of your body
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. land — to come down
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. chest — of your body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. land — ground
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chest — a box
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. land — a country
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — to move gently

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