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: suit · swing · foot · press · bass · stem · spell · tube

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. tube — a container
  3. suit — clothes
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. bass — low music
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. spell — letters
  9. press — newspapers
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. press — a publisher
  13. swing — to play on
  14. swing — music
  15. press — to push
  16. spell — a short time
  17. swing — in golf
  18. stem — to come from
  19. bass — the fish
  20. tube — the underground
  21. spell — magic
  22. suit — in cards
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. suit — to fit

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