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: roll · temple · degree · snap · leaves · kick · swing · wound

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. degree — an amount
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. degree — temperature
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. wound — an injury
  10. degree — from a university
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. snap — to click
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. wound — an injury
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. roll — a cake
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. roll — a list
  19. swing — to play on
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — in football
  24. swing — in golf

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