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: sharp · press · can · snap · swing · wax · tear · fall

  1. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. press — newspapers
  4. tear — from crying
  5. can — a tin
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. press — to push
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. fall — to drop
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. swing — to play on
  12. press — a publisher
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. swing — in golf
  15. can — a tin
  16. sharp — clever
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. wax — to grow
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — the season
  21. snap — to click
  22. tear — to rip
  23. can — to be able to
  24. swing — music

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