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 116 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: last · key · track · swing · pop · hide · bowl · pit

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. last — final
  3. pit — a hole
  4. last — finally
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. key — in music
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. key — for a lock
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. pop — music
  13. track — a path
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. swing — in golf
  16. last — to go on
  17. track — a song
  18. pop — to visit
  19. key — the most important part
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. swing — music
  22. pit — in a race
  23. swing — to play on
  24. track — to keep track

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