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: ball · plane · content · bay · swing · roll · mouse · bowl

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. swing — music
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. content — happy
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. swing — in golf
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. ball — a dance
  11. roll — a cake
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. roll — a list
  14. swing — to play on
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. content — the amount
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. plane — a tool
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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