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 120 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: chest · press · perch · mark · mate · ruler · swing · lie

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. chest — of your body
  3. swing — music
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. press — newspapers
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mark — a trace
  9. press — to push
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mate — to breed
  13. chest — of your body
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. press — a publisher
  16. swing — in golf
  17. chest — a box
  18. perch — the fish
  19. mark — a grade
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. lie — to recline
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mate — a friend

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