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: leaves · clip · stock · coach · press · root · bore · straw

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. clip — for paper
  4. clip — a video
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. press — to push
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. press — a publisher
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. press — newspapers
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. root — of a plant
  16. stock — shares
  17. clip — to cut
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. root — the cause
  20. bore — to drill
  21. stock — goods
  22. bore — to tire
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. stock — a soup base

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