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: lean · ball · roll · swing · saw · content · track · wake

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. track — a song
  6. roll — a list
  7. track — to keep track
  8. ball — a great time
  9. saw — the tool
  10. ball — a dance
  11. content — the amount
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to bend
  14. wake — a trail
  15. track — a path
  16. roll — a cake
  17. saw — the tool
  18. swing — in golf
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. swing — to play on
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. content — happy
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. roll — on a roll

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