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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. mug — a face
  3. last — final
  4. squash — the sport
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. club — a group
  7. press — newspapers
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. squash — to crush
  10. pound — a weight
  11. last — finally
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. press — to push
  14. spell — magic
  15. club — for golf
  16. mug — to rob
  17. swing — music
  18. mug — a cup
  19. press — a publisher
  20. swing — in golf
  21. last — to go on
  22. swing — to play on
  23. club — for dancing
  24. spell — letters

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