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: patient · cabinet · press · racket · swing · pop

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. press — newspapers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. swing — to play on
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. press — a publisher
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. pop — to visit
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. swing — music
  13. press — to push
  14. swing — in golf
  15. pop — music
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. pop — soda

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