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: field · bank · press · key · pop · row · root · suit

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. key — for a lock
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. press — a publisher
  5. suit — in cards
  6. root — of a plant
  7. press — to push
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — for money
  10. field — for sport
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — to visit
  13. field — farmland
  14. root — of a word
  15. root — the cause
  16. key — in music
  17. press — newspapers
  18. row — a line
  19. field — a subject
  20. pop — soda
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bank — of a river
  23. row — to paddle
  24. suit — clothes

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