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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. swing — music
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. swing — to play on
  5. game — a match
  6. cue — a hint
  7. spell — magic
  8. spell — letters
  9. shower — rain
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. band — a music group
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. band — a ring
  14. spell — a short time
  15. shower — to wash
  16. rest — what's left
  17. game — wild animals
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cue — a signal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  24. band — a rubber band

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