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: bore · band · lash · perch · club · rule · cap · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — a group
  6. rest — a break
  7. bore — to tire
  8. band — a music group
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. rest — what's left
  12. cap — a hat
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. band — a ring
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. rule — government
  18. cap — of ice
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. club — for dancing
  21. cap — a lid
  22. bore — to drill
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  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