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: tear · ruler · branch · foot · swing · field

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — in golf
  5. field — for sport
  6. branch — a division
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. tear — from crying
  9. field — farmland
  10. swing — to play on
  11. field — a subject
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. tear — from crying
  16. foot — a measure
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. branch — of a bank

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