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: root · cue · bass · bound · roll · pitcher · spring · press

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bound — certain
  3. press — newspapers
  4. roll — a list
  5. press — a publisher
  6. root — of a word
  7. bass — the fish
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. cue — a signal
  12. root — the cause
  13. cue — for pool
  14. spring — of water
  15. root — of a plant
  16. roll — a cake
  17. cue — a hint
  18. spring — the season
  19. spring — a coil
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — tied together
  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