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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. press — to push
  3. press — a publisher
  4. wound — an injury
  5. root — the cause
  6. root — of a plant
  7. face — to confront
  8. spell — letters
  9. face — part of the head
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. root — of a word
  12. face — to point toward
  13. pop — music
  14. spell — magic
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. fork — in a road
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. pop — soda
  20. wound — an injury
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. spell — a short time
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. pop — to visit

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