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: squash · ground · ruler · prune · swing · rest · pit · cap

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. ground — a position
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pit — in a race
  6. rest — what's left
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. squash — to crush
  10. rest — a break
  11. swing — to play on
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. swing — in golf
  15. squash — the sport
  16. ground — the earth
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a hat
  19. pit — a hole
  20. cap — a lid
  21. prune — to trim
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ground — crushed
  24. swing — music

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