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: calf · rule · pop · bass · season · stand · rash · nail

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bass — low music
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. season — of the year
  7. pop — to visit
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rash — hasty
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. rule — a law
  13. rash — a series
  14. bass — the fish
  15. pop — music
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. season — in sport
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. pop — soda

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