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 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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. club — a group
  4. press — newspapers
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. kid — to tease
  9. club — for golf
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. root — the cause
  12. tube — a container
  13. press — to push
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. press — a publisher
  16. stand — to bear
  17. kid — child
  18. root — of a word
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. club — for dancing
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bore — to tire
  24. root — of a plant

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