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: press · rock · game · swing · lean · lie · safe · drill

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. lean — to bend
  3. press — newspapers
  4. lie — to recline
  5. lean — thin
  6. swing — to play on
  7. drill — the tool
  8. game — a match
  9. drill — army training
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. swing — music
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. game — wild animals
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. rock — a stone
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. swing — in golf
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. press — to push
  22. press — a publisher
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. lean — to rest against

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