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: ground · rock · root · pound · press · roll · mark · squash

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. root — the cause
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. squash — the sport
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. ground — crushed
  10. root — of a word
  11. ground — the earth
  12. mark — a trace
  13. root — of a plant
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — a publisher
  16. mark — a grade
  17. pound — a weight
  18. roll — a list
  19. rock — a stone
  20. squash — to crush
  21. roll — a cake
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. ground — a position
  24. press — to push

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