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: swing · spell · fall · bat · suit · leaves · mark · lean

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. bat — the animal
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. fall — to drop
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. swing — to play on
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. swing — music
  9. lean — to bend
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. spell — magic
  15. fall — the season
  16. lean — thin
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. mark — a trace
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. mark — a grade
  22. swing — in golf
  23. fall — to drop
  24. suit — to fit

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