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: net · cue · hide · bank · band · mug · rule · racket

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bank — for money
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. net — after costs
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. net — for catching
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bank — of a river
  10. band — a music group
  11. mug — a face
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. rule — government
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. cue — a signal
  16. bank — for money
  17. net — in sport
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. band — a ring
  21. cue — for pool
  22. rule — a law
  23. cue — a hint
  24. mug — to rob

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