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: deal · swing · last · ruler · racket · pit

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. swing — music
  5. pit — a hole
  6. last — to go on
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pit — in a race
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. last — finally
  12. swing — to play on
  13. last — final
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. swing — in golf
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. deal — to handle

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