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 120 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: deal · press · cabinet · fine · chair · root · wax · bulb

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. press — a publisher
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. wax — to grow
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. fine — all right
  11. bulb — for light
  12. root — of a plant
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. fine — high quality
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. root — the cause
  19. press — newspapers
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. root — of a word
  23. press — to push
  24. deal — to handle

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