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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bore — to tire
  3. field — farmland
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bore — to drill
  8. ball — a great time
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. ball — a dance
  12. stem — to come from
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. squash — the sport
  15. wind — moving air
  16. squash — to crush
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. field — a subject
  19. board — a committee
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. wind — moving air
  22. board — to get on
  23. field — for sport
  24. squash — the vegetable

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