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: bowl · face · roll · rule · lash · scale · band · nail

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. face — part of the head
  3. band — a ring
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. roll — a cake
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. band — a music group
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. scale — size or range
  17. face — to point toward
  18. rule — a law
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. face — to confront
  22. rule — government
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. scale — in music

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