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

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. last — to go on
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. cue — for pool
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. tear — to rip
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. swing — in golf
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. cue — a signal
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — from crying
  18. swing — music
  19. last — finally
  20. pitch — completely
  21. last — final
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. cue — a hint

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