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 light ________________ burned out.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. root — the cause
  4. root — of a plant
  5. press — a publisher
  6. root — of a word
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. press — to push
  9. toast — bread
  10. stock — goods
  11. bound — tied together
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. stock — shares
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pass — a permit
  18. bound — certain
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. press — newspapers
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bound — obliged
  24. pass — to spend time

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