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 sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. press — newspapers
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. court — of law
  5. court — of a king
  6. root — of a plant
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. branch — a division
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. press — a publisher
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. root — the cause
  13. pound — a weight
  14. court — for sport
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. root — of a word
  17. net — after costs
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. net — for catching
  20. press — to push
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. net — in sport
  24. pound — to hit hard

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