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 120 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: game · rock · swing · lean · drill · bay · ball · wind

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. lean — thin
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wind — moving air
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. game — wild animals
  9. drill — the tool
  10. lean — to bend
  11. drill — a practice
  12. swing — to play on
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. rock — music
  15. game — a match
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. swing — in golf
  19. swing — music
  20. wind — moving air
  21. drill — army training
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. ball — a dance

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