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: cue · ground · swing · mate · file · cell · ruler · leaves

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. swing — to play on
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. cue — a signal
  5. mate — a friend
  6. file — a document
  7. file — a tool
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. file — a line of people
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. swing — music
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cell — a phone
  15. swing — in golf
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mate — a partner
  18. ground — crushed
  19. cell — in biology
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. cue — for pool
  23. ground — the earth
  24. mate — to breed

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