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: chair · scale · stand · bank · last · game · racket · rash

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. scale — in music
  3. game — wild animals
  4. last — to go on
  5. scale — size or range
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. last — finally
  8. bank — for money
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. last — final
  11. rash — a series
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. chair — a leader
  14. stand — to bear
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bank — for money
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. bank — of a river
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. game — a match
  23. rash — hasty
  24. rash — on the skin

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