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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. foot — a measure
  4. bore — to tire
  5. clip — to cut
  6. bank — for money
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. root — of a word
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. ball — a great time
  13. ball — a dance
  14. board — a committee
  15. bore — to drill
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a plant
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bank — for money
  20. board — to get on
  21. clip — for paper
  22. clip — a video
  23. bank — of a river
  24. ball — a round shape

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