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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. root — of a word
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. scale — size or range
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. last — to go on
  7. press — to push
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. last — final
  10. rock — music
  11. press — a publisher
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. root — the cause
  14. scale — in music
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. root — of a plant
  17. last — finally
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. rock — a stone
  20. saw — the tool
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. saw — the tool
  23. dip — to sink
  24. press — newspapers

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