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: mate · can · chip · press · roll · root · fall · hand

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. mate — a friend
  3. fall — to drop
  4. root — of a word
  5. press — newspapers
  6. hand — in cards
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. can — a tin
  9. press — a publisher
  10. root — of a plant
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — to breed
  13. roll — a cake
  14. can — to be able to
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. press — to push
  18. root — the cause
  19. fall — the season
  20. hand — help
  21. can — a tin
  22. fall — to drop
  23. chip — to eat
  24. roll — on a roll

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