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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. root — of a word
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bore — to tire
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. root — the cause
  10. key — the most important part
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. drill — the tool
  14. key — in music
  15. toast — bread
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. drill — a practice
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. key — for a lock
  20. root — of a plant
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bore — to drill
  23. drill — army training
  24. chair — a leader

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