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: wind · press · swing · lie · safe · kick · scale · mouse

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  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. swing — to play on
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. kick — in football
  4. press — to push
  5. swing — music
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wind — moving air
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wind — moving air
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. scale — size or range
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. scale — in music
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. press — newspapers
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. lie — to recline
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. press — a publisher
  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