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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. press — to push
  3. root — the cause
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. press — newspapers
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. deal — to handle
  8. saw — the tool
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. lean — thin
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. saw — the tool
  17. cold — an illness
  18. root — of a plant
  19. root — of a word
  20. cold — not warm
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. ball — a dance
  24. deal — an agreement

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