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: pop · snap · swing · toast · bank · jam · game · lie

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bank — of a river
  4. pop — to visit
  5. toast — bread
  6. swing — in golf
  7. pop — soda
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. bank — for money
  12. swing — to play on
  13. pop — music
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bank — for money
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. snap — to click
  21. game — a match
  22. swing — music
  23. game — wild animals
  24. lie — to recline

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