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: rash · can · degree · board · swing · ruler · branch · arm

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. swing — in golf
  4. can — to be able to
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. degree — an amount
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. can — a tin
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. board — a committee
  14. degree — temperature
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. can — a tin
  17. branch — a division
  18. rash — a series
  19. rash — hasty
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. board — to get on
  23. degree — from a university
  24. swing — music

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