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: ball · hand · swing · pass · fork · press · stem · lean

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. pass — a permit
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — music
  7. lean — to bend
  8. ball — a great time
  9. hand — in cards
  10. lean — thin
  11. ball — a dance
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. press — to push
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. fork — in a road
  17. press — newspapers
  18. swing — in golf
  19. stem — to come from
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. press — a publisher
  24. hand — help

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