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: swing · date · press · rule · fine · staff

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. swing — music
  5. swing — to play on
  6. date — the fruit
  7. staff — employees
  8. swing — in golf
  9. staff — employees
  10. fine — high quality
  11. press — newspapers
  12. staff — a stick
  13. press — to push
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. press — a publisher
  16. rule — a law
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. date — on the calendar

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