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: firm · rule · ruler · swing · sharp · prune · scale · plane

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. swing — to play on
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. swing — in golf
  5. firm — a company
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. plane — a tool
  9. scale — in music
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. sharp — clever
  12. rule — a law
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. firm — steady
  15. scale — size or range
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. swing — music
  19. prune — to trim
  20. firm — decided
  21. prune — to trim
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. scale — for weighing

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