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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. net — for catching
  3. swing — music
  4. file — a tool
  5. firm — steady
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. swing — in golf
  8. firm — a company
  9. press — to push
  10. net — after costs
  11. net — in sport
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. press — newspapers
  14. charge — in control
  15. file — a document
  16. file — a line of people
  17. charge — electricity
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. swing — to play on
  22. charge — a price
  23. press — a publisher
  24. racket — a loud noise

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