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 120 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: track · game · staff · swing · temple · rash · leaves · arm

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. swing — to play on
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. swing — music
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. swing — in golf
  8. rash — a series
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. track — a path
  13. staff — employees
  14. game — wild animals
  15. track — a song
  16. staff — employees
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. game — a match
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. track — to keep track
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. staff — a stick

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