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: kick · field · ruler · stand · rule · firm · rash · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  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. swing — in golf
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — a company
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. field — farmland
  9. field — a subject
  10. firm — steady
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. stand — to bear
  16. field — for sport
  17. rule — government
  18. swing — music
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. kick — in football
  23. swing — to play on
  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