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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. bore — to tire
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. board — to get on
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. board — a committee
  13. prune — to trim
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bore — to drill
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. pop — music
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — soda

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