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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. march — the month
  3. swing — in golf
  4. craft — a skill
  5. swing — to play on
  6. craft — boats
  7. march — the month
  8. press — to push
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. press — a publisher
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. mark — a grade
  15. content — the amount
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. press — newspapers
  18. mark — a trace
  19. season — in sport
  20. content — happy
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. swing — music
  23. march — music
  24. mark — to pay attention

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