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

  1. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a plant
  2. roll — a cake
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. branch — a division
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. press — newspapers
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bore — to drill
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. rush — hurry
  13. press — to push
  14. bore — to tire
  15. root — of a word
  16. wind — moving air
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. mine — for digging
  20. wind — moving air
  21. root — the cause
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. roll — a list
  24. press — a publisher

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