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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. chair — a leader
  3. root — of a plant
  4. rash — a series
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. root — the cause
  7. bass — the fish
  8. mark — a grade
  9. press — newspapers
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bass — low music
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. root — of a word
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. press — a publisher
  24. press — to push

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