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: root · tear · court · lean · squash · pass · rush · press

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Did you ________________ the button?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. root — the cause
  3. court — of a king
  4. press — a publisher
  5. lean — thin
  6. tear — from crying
  7. court — of law
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. press — to push
  12. tear — to rip
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. squash — the sport
  15. press — newspapers
  16. squash — to crush
  17. lean — to bend
  18. pass — a permit
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. tear — from crying
  21. rush — hurry
  22. court — for sport
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. root — of a plant

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