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: ruler · file · object · net · root · pop · season · swing

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. pop — soda
  3. season — in sport
  4. file — a document
  5. object — a thing
  6. net — for catching
  7. swing — music
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. swing — in golf
  11. pop — music
  12. root — of a plant
  13. root — of a word
  14. file — a tool
  15. pop — to visit
  16. object — to protest
  17. file — a line of people
  18. net — after costs
  19. net — in sport
  20. season — of the year
  21. swing — to play on
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. root — the cause
  24. object — an aim

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