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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. field — farmland
  3. press — newspapers
  4. root — of a word
  5. band — a music group
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. root — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. press — a publisher
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. staff — employees
  12. root — the cause
  13. band — a ring
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. field — a subject
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. field — for sport
  21. staff — employees
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. press — to push
  24. band — a rubber band

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