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 · pop · pit · leaves · dip · track · swing · coach

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. pop — music
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pop — soda
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. ball — a dance
  7. track — a path
  8. swing — music
  9. pit — a hole
  10. swing — in golf
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. track — to keep track
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. swing — to play on
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pop — to visit
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. track — a song
  21. pit — in a race
  22. dip — to sink
  23. ball — a great time
  24. coach — a trainer

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