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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. firm — steady
  3. chip — for betting
  4. press — to push
  5. firm — decided
  6. swing — to play on
  7. firm — a company
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — to crush
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. swing — music
  19. press — a publisher
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. chip — to eat
  22. swing — in golf
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. chip — in a computer

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