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: roll · rule · stick · fine · bound · racket · last · hide

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — high quality
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. last — final
  8. bound — certain
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. last — to go on
  13. bound — obliged
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — government
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. last — finally
  20. fine — all right
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — a list
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. racket — for tennis

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