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: fall · swing · pass · patient · bay · mug · hand · press

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. swing — to play on
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. mug — to rob
  5. hand — help
  6. press — a publisher
  7. fall — to drop
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. press — newspapers
  10. fall — to drop
  11. swing — in golf
  12. mug — a face
  13. fall — the season
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. swing — music
  17. mug — a cup
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. hand — in cards
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pass — a permit
  23. press — to push
  24. pass — to succeed

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