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: rule · stand · track · wind · key · board · tear · racket

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — a law
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wind — moving air
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. key — the most important part
  8. tear — from crying
  9. key — for a lock
  10. board — to get on
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. stand — to bear
  13. track — a song
  14. track — to keep track
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. board — a committee
  17. key — in music
  18. tear — to rip
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. track — a path
  22. tear — from crying
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. wind — moving air

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