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 120 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bank — for money
  5. present — the time now
  6. rush — hurry
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. swing — music
  9. present — a gift
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bank — for money
  12. present — there
  13. spell — letters
  14. swing — to play on
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — ground
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. scale — in music
  19. bank — of a river
  20. land — a country
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. scale — size or range
  23. spell — magic
  24. spell — a short time

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