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 116 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 · ruler · bowl · cabinet · key · prune · net · scale

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. net — in sport
  3. prune — to trim
  4. scale — size or range
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. swing — music
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. net — for catching
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. key — the most important part
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — in golf
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. net — after costs
  20. scale — in music
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. key — in music
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. prune — to trim

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