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 120 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: fan · file · stock · craft · swing · leaves · press · mug

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mug — a cup
  5. file — a tool
  6. press — to push
  7. press — a publisher
  8. craft — boats
  9. stock — shares
  10. press — newspapers
  11. craft — a skill
  12. mug — to rob
  13. swing — to play on
  14. file — a line of people
  15. swing — music
  16. mug — a face
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. file — a document
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. stock — goods
  24. swing — in golf

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