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: key · bear · press · mouse · root · wound · face · ball

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. root — of a word
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. face — to point toward
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. wound — an injury
  9. press — to push
  10. root — the cause
  11. ball — a dance
  12. root — of a plant
  13. press — newspapers
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. key — the most important part
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. face — part of the head
  18. key — for a lock
  19. press — a publisher
  20. face — to confront
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wound — an injury
  23. ball — a great time
  24. key — in music

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