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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. press — a publisher
  3. press — to push
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. lean — thin
  6. bass — low music
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. bound — obliged
  10. scale — size or range
  11. bound — certain
  12. bark — of a tree
  13. rush — hurry
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. lean — to bend
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. root — of a word
  18. root — of a plant
  19. scale — in music
  20. bass — the fish
  21. root — the cause
  22. press — newspapers
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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