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: cap · calf · land · present · swing · roll · cabinet · press

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. cap — a lid
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. present — the time now
  6. roll — a cake
  7. swing — to play on
  8. press — to push
  9. roll — a list
  10. press — a publisher
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. present — there
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. press — newspapers
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. land — ground
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. swing — in golf
  22. land — to come down
  23. present — a gift
  24. land — a country

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