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: press · foot · stick · pit · last · mine · swing · wake

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. swing — to play on
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. press — to push
  6. last — finally
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. swing — music
  11. foot — a measure
  12. mine — for digging
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. last — final
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. last — to go on
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. press — newspapers
  20. swing — in golf
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. press — a publisher
  24. pit — a hole

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