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: roll · season · lean · foot · content · track · bat · mark

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. season — of the year
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. foot — a measure
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. track — to keep track
  7. content — the amount
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. season — in sport
  12. mark — a grade
  13. roll — a list
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. content — happy
  16. roll — a cake
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. lean — to bend
  19. track — a song
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. track — a path
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bat — the animal
  24. mark — to pay attention

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