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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. field — farmland
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. suit — to fit
  5. press — a publisher
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. swing — music
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. mine — for digging
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. swing — in golf
  16. suit — in cards
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. field — a subject
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. press — newspapers
  21. field — for sport
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. swing — to play on
  24. suit — clothes

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