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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. shower — to wash
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. swing — in golf
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. charge — electricity
  7. swing — to play on
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. press — to push
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. press — newspapers
  12. degree — temperature
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. press — a publisher
  15. shower — rain
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. degree — an amount
  19. degree — from a university
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. charge — a price
  22. perch — the fish
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. charge — in control

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