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: leaves · last · press · pass · race · swing

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. press — newspapers
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. swing — music
  7. last — final
  8. last — to go on
  9. press — a publisher
  10. last — finally
  11. swing — to play on
  12. pass — a permit
  13. swing — in golf
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. race — the arms race
  16. race — humankind
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. 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