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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. swing — to play on
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pound — a weight
  9. row — a line
  10. chest — of your body
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. kick — in football
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. swing — music
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. prune — to trim
  18. chest — of your body
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. chest — a box
  24. swing — in golf

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