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: rule · pound · coach · cap · rest · leaves · degree · racket

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. pound — a weight
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rule — a law
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rule — government
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cap — of ice
  20. degree — from a university
  21. degree — an amount
  22. rest — a break
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. degree — temperature

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