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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. press — to push
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bear — the animal
  5. land — to come down
  6. press — newspapers
  7. root — of a word
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cell — a phone
  10. press — a publisher
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cell — in biology
  17. land — a country
  18. root — of a plant
  19. plane — a tool
  20. root — the cause
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bat — the animal

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