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: present · branch · ruler · swing · arm · season · tube · stick

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. present — there
  3. swing — in golf
  4. tube — the underground
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. present — the time now
  7. swing — to play on
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. present — a gift
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — a division
  13. swing — music
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. season — in sport
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. season — of the year
  22. tube — a container
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. ruler — for measuring

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