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 · craft · march · wake · swing · scale · pass · foot

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. roll — a cake
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. swing — in golf
  7. march — the month
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. craft — boats
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. wake — a trail
  13. craft — a skill
  14. march — music
  15. pass — a permit
  16. foot — a measure
  17. march — the month
  18. swing — music
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. scale — size or range
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. roll — a list
  23. scale — in music
  24. foot — part of the body

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