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

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. rest — what's left
  3. bass — the fish
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. swing — in golf
  6. bass — low music
  7. kick — in football
  8. rest — a break
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. swing — music
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. press — to push
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. press — a publisher
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. press — newspapers
  21. swing — to play on
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to spend time

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