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 · track · roll · kick · ruler · wax · drill · mug

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. roll — a cake
  3. kick — in football
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. mug — a face
  6. track — to keep track
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — to play on
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. track — a path
  12. mug — to rob
  13. drill — a practice
  14. swing — music
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. track — a song
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. mug — a cup
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. wax — to grow
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. drill — the tool
  24. roll — a list

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