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: bound · root · hide · current · clip · rock · squash · rule

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. current — of water
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — certain
  6. root — the cause
  7. clip — to cut
  8. root — of a word
  9. rule — government
  10. clip — for paper
  11. current — electric
  12. rock — a stone
  13. rule — a law
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. current — happening now
  17. bound — tied together
  18. root — of a plant
  19. rock — music
  20. clip — a video
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the sport

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