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: mug · swing · spell · bay · saw · ground · press · chest

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. ground — a position
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. mug — a cup
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. press — to push
  8. spell — letters
  9. swing — to play on
  10. chest — a box
  11. spell — magic
  12. saw — the tool
  13. press — a publisher
  14. swing — music
  15. saw — the tool
  16. ground — crushed
  17. mug — a face
  18. chest — of your body
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. press — newspapers
  21. mug — to rob
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. spell — a short time
  24. ground — the earth

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