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: prune · saw · pit · swing · rule · cue · row · rash

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. swing — in golf
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. rule — government
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. pit — a hole
  8. swing — to play on
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rule — a law
  11. prune — to trim
  12. pit — in a race
  13. row — to paddle
  14. swing — music
  15. rash — a series
  16. saw — the tool
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. row — a line
  19. cue — a hint
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rash — hasty
  22. cue — a signal
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. row — a quarrel

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