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 · press · bear · sharp · hide · bay · roll · wake

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. roll — a list
  3. swing — to play on
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. press — a publisher
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. roll — a cake
  11. swing — music
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. wake — a trail
  14. sharp — clever
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. press — to push
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. press — newspapers
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. swing — in golf
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. hide — to keep secret

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