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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. net — for catching
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. swing — to play on
  8. swing — music
  9. bank — for money
  10. swing — in golf
  11. press — a publisher
  12. bank — for money
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. press — newspapers
  15. march — the month
  16. net — in sport
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. press — to push
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. march — music
  22. net — after costs
  23. march — the month
  24. pound — a weight

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