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: leaves · swing · bank · last · content · chip · ball · trunk

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. swing — to play on
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. chip — to eat
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. bank — of a river
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. last — finally
  14. last — to go on
  15. chip — for betting
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. content — happy
  18. bank — for money
  19. swing — in golf
  20. bank — for money
  21. swing — music
  22. last — final
  23. content — the amount
  24. ball — a great time

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