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 120 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: ruler · wound · mine · pop · rock · swing · cap · racket

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. swing — in golf
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wound — an injury
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cap — a hat
  8. swing — to play on
  9. wound — an injury
  10. cap — a lid
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cap — of ice
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. pop — to visit
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — music
  19. rock — a stone
  20. pop — music
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mine — for digging
  23. swing — music
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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