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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. root — the cause
  3. clip — to cut
  4. current — electric
  5. current — of water
  6. press — a publisher
  7. suit — to fit
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. press — newspapers
  11. clip — a video
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. suit — in cards
  14. branch — a division
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. ball — a dance
  20. root — of a word
  21. root — of a plant
  22. clip — for paper
  23. press — to push
  24. current — happening now

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