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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pit — in a race
  3. cell — in biology
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. wake — a trail
  7. root — of a plant
  8. press — to push
  9. press — a publisher
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. root — the cause
  13. ball — a great time
  14. root — of a word
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. press — newspapers
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. ball — a dance
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. cell — a phone
  24. cell — in a prison

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