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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a song
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. fork — in a road
  9. race — humankind
  10. race — the arms race
  11. track — a path
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. race — a contest
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. swing — music
  16. bark — to shout
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. wake — a trail
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. ball — a dance
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bowl — a football final

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