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: kid · ruler · wind · key · bark · arm · leaves · swing

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. bark — to shout
  3. swing — to play on
  4. swing — music
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. key — in music
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. swing — in golf
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. kid — to tease
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. key — the most important part
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — moving air
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. kid — child
  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