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 · face · stick · key · bank · race · spell · swing

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. bank — for money
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to confront
  5. swing — to play on
  6. key — the most important part
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. race — humankind
  9. key — in music
  10. bank — of a river
  11. press — a publisher
  12. swing — in golf
  13. spell — a short time
  14. spell — letters
  15. bank — for money
  16. swing — music
  17. press — newspapers
  18. race — a contest
  19. spell — magic
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. press — to push
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. race — the arms race
  24. key — for a lock

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