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: foot · bass · racket · hide · ruler · rule · bear · jam

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rule — government
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bear — the animal
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bass — low music
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. bass — the fish
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. bear — the animal
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. foot — a measure
  24. hide — to keep secret

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