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

Word bank: cold · squash · ruler · firm · swing · rule

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. swing — in golf
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. firm — steady
  8. swing — to play on
  9. cold — an illness
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. rule — a law
  12. cold — not warm
  13. squash — to crush
  14. firm — a company
  15. swing — music
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. firm — decided
  18. rule — government

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