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: deal · ruler · patient · roll · shower · mine · swing · straw

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. shower — rain
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. swing — music
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. roll — a cake
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. deal — to handle
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. swing — to play on
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. shower — to wash
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mine — for digging
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. roll — a list

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