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 116 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: fan · rush · racket · rule · staff · trunk · stick · rest

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rule — government
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. staff — employees
  8. rest — a break
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. rest — what's left
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. staff — a stick
  18. rush — hurry
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. rule — a law

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