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 124 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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. press — newspapers
  3. race — humankind
  4. race — the arms race
  5. spring — the season
  6. bear — the animal
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bore — to tire
  9. swing — to play on
  10. press — a publisher
  11. race — a contest
  12. spring — of water
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. press — to push
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bore — to drill
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. sharp — clever
  20. spring — a coil
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. swing — music

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