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 116 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 · file · wave · ruler · mine · content · court · bore

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. content — happy
  4. file — a line of people
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. bore — to tire
  7. content — the amount
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. court — of a king
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. swing — music
  14. mine — for digging
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — in golf
  18. bore — to drill
  19. file — a tool
  20. court — of law
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. file — a document
  23. court — for sport
  24. ruler — for measuring

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