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: prune · stand · bass · bulb · lean · press · object · root

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. lean — thin
  3. press — a publisher
  4. object — an aim
  5. root — of a plant
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. root — of a word
  9. lean — to bend
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. root — the cause
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — to push
  16. bass — low music
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. object — a thing
  21. bulb — for light
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. prune — to trim
  24. bass — the fish

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