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 116 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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. chair — a leader
  4. club — for dancing
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. club — a group
  7. swing — to play on
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — boats
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. swing — in golf
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. club — for golf
  15. season — in sport
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. season — of the year
  21. bore — to tire
  22. swing — music
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. bore — gave birth

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