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: land · safe · mine · root · press · court · sharp · lie

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. press — to push
  4. press — newspapers
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mine — for digging
  7. land — ground
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. lie — to recline
  11. court — of a king
  12. court — of law
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. court — for sport
  16. root — the cause
  17. land — a country
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. sharp — clever
  20. press — a publisher
  21. root — of a word
  22. land — to come down
  23. root — of a plant
  24. mine — belonging to me

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