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: rash · game · band · calf · rest · bear · rock · rule

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rash — hasty
  5. rule — government
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rash — a series
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. game — wild animals
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. band — a ring
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. rest — a break
  17. rock — music
  18. bear — the animal
  19. band — a music group
  20. game — a match
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. bear — the 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