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: bound · bay · snap · swing · roll · ruler · wax · game

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. swing — to play on
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. snap — to click
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. bound — obliged
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. wax — to grow
  12. roll — a list
  13. swing — music
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. game — wild animals
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bound — tied together
  21. game — a match
  22. swing — in golf
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bound — certain

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