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 116 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 · stick · scale · craft · face · coach · rule · last

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. scale — in music
  4. rule — a law
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. face — to point toward
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. last — to go on
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. face — to confront
  12. craft — boats
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. craft — a skill
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. last — finally
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. scale — size or range
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rule — government
  22. face — part of the head
  23. last — final
  24. 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