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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. net — after costs
  3. object — an aim
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. press — a publisher
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — in sport
  8. swing — music
  9. object — a thing
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. press — to push
  13. object — to protest
  14. swing — in golf
  15. press — newspapers
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. mark — a grade
  22. squash — to crush
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. squash — the sport

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