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

Word bank: rule · hand · foot · court · suit · rock · ruler · swing

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. hand — help
  3. rule — government
  4. suit — clothes
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. court — of a king
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. swing — to play on
  10. rock — a stone
  11. swing — in golf
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. court — of law
  15. court — for sport
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. swing — music
  18. hand — in cards
  19. rock — music
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. foot — a measure
  22. suit — in cards
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. rule — a law

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