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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. pop — to visit
  3. swing — music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. can — to be able to
  6. hand — in cards
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mate — to breed
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. swing — to play on
  11. mate — a partner
  12. wound — an injury
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. can — a tin
  15. hand — help
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. wound — an injury
  18. pop — music
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. swing — in golf
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. can — a tin
  23. mate — a friend
  24. pop — soda

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