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: cell · firm · spell · march · prune · pitcher · ruler · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. firm — steady
  3. cell — a phone
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. march — the month
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — music
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. prune — to trim
  11. march — music
  12. march — the month
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. spell — a short time
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. firm — a company
  18. cell — in biology
  19. firm — decided
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. prune — to trim
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. spell — letters
  24. spell — magic

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