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

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. row — a line
  5. press — to push
  6. row — to paddle
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — the cause
  9. press — a publisher
  10. bank — of a river
  11. press — newspapers
  12. can — a tin
  13. bore — to tire
  14. can — to be able to
  15. bore — to drill
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. bank — for money
  18. spring — of water
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. can — a tin
  21. bank — for money
  22. spring — the season
  23. root — of a word
  24. spring — a coil

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