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: swing · arm · straw · mug · root · cue · band · rule

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. root — the cause
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. root — of a plant
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. cue — for pool
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. cue — a signal
  11. swing — music
  12. swing — in golf
  13. mug — to rob
  14. cue — a hint
  15. band — a ring
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — a face
  19. root — of a word
  20. band — a music group
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. rule — government
  24. swing — to play on

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