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: squash · spell · rule · chest · wax · cue · drill · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. drill — the tool
  3. swing — to play on
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. spell — magic
  6. squash — to crush
  7. rule — a law
  8. drill — army training
  9. spell — letters
  10. cue — for pool
  11. chest — of your body
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. chest — of your body
  14. cue — a hint
  15. cue — a signal
  16. chest — a box
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. squash — the sport
  20. swing — music
  21. drill — a practice
  22. wax — to grow
  23. spell — a short time
  24. rule — government

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