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: trunk · ball · racket · leaves · ruler · snap · rule · calf

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. rule — government
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. rule — a law
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. snap — to click
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. ball — a great time
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. ball — a dance
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. calf — a young animal

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