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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · root · charge · mouse · jam · lean · press · coach

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. lean — to bend
  3. press — a publisher
  4. can — to be able to
  5. lean — thin
  6. charge — a price
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. charge — electricity
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. root — the cause
  11. can — a tin
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. press — to push
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. charge — in control
  18. press — newspapers
  19. root — of a plant
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. can — a tin
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. root — of a word

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