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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: cabinet · kick · pitch · press · wax · swing

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. press — a publisher
  4. pitch — completely
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. swing — to play on
  8. kick — in football
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. press — to push
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. swing — in golf
  15. press — newspapers
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. wax — to grow
  18. cabinet — ministers

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