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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. board — to get on
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. pop — soda
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. bore — to drill
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. pop — music
  13. bore — to tire
  14. wax — to grow
  15. pop — to visit
  16. capital — money
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. stand — to bear
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. board — a committee
  21. fork — in a road
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. capital — a city
  24. fork — a garden tool

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