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: swing · mug · current · press · pass · cap · sharp · row

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. current — happening now
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. mug — to rob
  5. row — a line
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. swing — in golf
  8. swing — music
  9. current — of water
  10. press — to push
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. cap — of ice
  14. current — electric
  15. press — newspapers
  16. press — a publisher
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. swing — to play on
  19. mug — a cup
  20. sharp — clever
  21. cap — a lid
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. cap — a hat
  24. mug — a face

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