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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. ground — a position
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. ground — crushed
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. root — the cause
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. bore — to tire
  12. board — a committee
  13. kick — in football
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. bore — to drill
  16. root — of a plant
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. ground — the earth
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. root — of a word
  22. board — to get on
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. sharp — clever

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