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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. root — the cause
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. board — a committee
  5. board — to get on
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. root — of a word
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bore — to tire
  11. fall — the season
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bore — to drill
  14. fall — to drop
  15. clip — a video
  16. root — of a plant
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. hand — in cards
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. hand — help
  23. clip — for paper
  24. board — a flat piece

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