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 ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. rock — a stone
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pitch — completely
  12. rock — music
  13. press — to push
  14. deal — to handle
  15. stem — to come from
  16. wind — moving air
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. press — a publisher
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. press — newspapers
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — the cause
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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