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: kick · root · current · bass · press · arm · ground · clip

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. clip — to cut
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. ground — the earth
  7. root — of a word
  8. clip — for paper
  9. press — newspapers
  10. press — a publisher
  11. current — electric
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — of water
  14. press — to push
  15. root — the cause
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. root — of a plant
  18. ground — crushed
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bass — the fish
  22. bass — low music
  23. kick — in football
  24. clip — a video

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