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 · deal · stick · season · bark · drill · bowl · wake

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. swing — to play on
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. deal — to handle
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. season — in sport
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. swing — in golf
  11. season — of the year
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. drill — the tool
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. drill — a practice
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. swing — music
  23. drill — army training
  24. wake — a trail

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