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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bark — to shout
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. key — in music
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. hand — in cards
  8. wound — an injury
  9. press — a publisher
  10. wound — an injury
  11. key — the most important part
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. press — to push
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. press — newspapers
  20. key — for a lock
  21. root — of a word
  22. hand — help
  23. root — the cause
  24. root — of a plant

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