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: swing · rule · snap · mouse · ruler · rash · stand · nail

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. snap — to click
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. stand — to bear
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. swing — to play on
  9. rash — hasty
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. rule — a law
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. swing — in golf
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. swing — music
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rash — a series
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. rule — government

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