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 · cap · rest · march · suit · game · row · press

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. cap — of ice
  4. march — the month
  5. press — a publisher
  6. cap — a lid
  7. suit — to fit
  8. press — newspapers
  9. row — to paddle
  10. root — of a word
  11. march — music
  12. root — the cause
  13. row — a line
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. game — a match
  17. game — wild animals
  18. rest — a break
  19. suit — clothes
  20. root — of a plant
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. cap — a hat
  23. press — to push
  24. march — the month

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