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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. last — to go on
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. swing — music
  5. kick — in football
  6. mate — a friend
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. mate — to breed
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. last — finally
  11. press — to push
  12. press — newspapers
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. pit — in a race
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. last — final
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. press — a publisher
  21. track — to keep track
  22. mate — a partner
  23. swing — to play on
  24. pit — a hole

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