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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. press — a publisher
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. bank — for money
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bank — for money
  8. prune — to trim
  9. lean — thin
  10. press — newspapers
  11. root — of a word
  12. root — the cause
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. press — to push
  15. content — the amount
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. root — of a plant
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bank — of a river
  21. content — happy
  22. chair — a leader
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. lean — to bend

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