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: track · mouse · suit · spring · pop · game · roll · spell

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. roll — a cake
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. suit — to fit
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. game — a match
  7. suit — in cards
  8. game — wild animals
  9. suit — clothes
  10. track — a song
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. spring — of water
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — magic
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. spring — a coil
  17. track — to keep track
  18. roll — a list
  19. pop — music
  20. spring — the season
  21. spell — letters
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — soda

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