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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. fork — in a road
  3. vault — a safe
  4. net — in sport
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. swing — to play on
  7. wind — moving air
  8. degree — temperature
  9. press — newspapers
  10. wind — moving air
  11. swing — in golf
  12. degree — from a university
  13. degree — an amount
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. net — after costs
  17. press — a publisher
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. net — for catching
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. season — in sport
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. press — to push

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