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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mate — to breed
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mate — a partner
  6. swing — music
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fork — in a road
  12. file — a line of people
  13. file — a tool
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. plane — a tool
  16. swing — in golf
  17. mate — a friend
  18. swing — to play on
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. file — a document
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. ruler — for measuring

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