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: date · bowl · temple · spell · fall · track · swing · coach

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. date — the fruit
  8. spell — a short time
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. track — a path
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — letters
  15. track — a song
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. track — to keep track
  19. fall — to drop
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. fall — the season
  22. swing — in golf
  23. fall — to drop
  24. coach — a trainer

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